Team Canada has much to gain from getting Boston Bruins forward Matthew Poitras ahead of the world juniors, writes Tony Ferrari.
Team Canada has much to gain from getting Boston Bruins forward Matthew Poitras ahead of the world juniors, writes Tony Ferrari.
Team Canada had their holiday wishes granted as the Boston Bruins chose to loan rookie forward Matthew Poitras to the world juniors squad in to Gothenburg, Sweden.
The 19-year-old center from Ajax, Ont., should play a significant role for the club as it looks to defend its title as world junior gold medallist in each of the last two years.
The Canadians left open a spot in the forward group when they made their final cuts in the hope they would get one of the NHL forwards still eligible for the World Junior Championship. Poitras and Buffalo Sabres rookie Zach Benson were the two players Canada was rumored to target.
Poitras has had an up-and-down rookie year in the NHL. It’s been highlighted by unexpectedly making the team out of training camp after coming in as a long shot. He found a way to make an immediate impact as a middle-six center for the Bruins as they ascended to the top of the standings once again. Poitras' five goals rank tied for ninth among NHL rookies this season, while his 13 points in 27 games are tied for the 12th most. He's only missed a couple of games for the Bruins, but his ice time was reduced for three games to begin December.
Poitras heading to the World Junior Championship should give him the chance to be the lead dog and gain some offensive confidence. While he has been finding the scoresheet at a decent clip in the NHL, a big performance in a leading role with Team Canada could spur a hot second half for the Bruins as they look to solidify their standings heading toward the playoffs.
The Canadian U-20 squad, meanwhile, will happily welcome Poitras as it lacks the firepower it's had the last few years and will look to score by committee more this year. Poitras should help alleviate some of the pressure on players like Matthew Savoie and Macklin Celebrini, who were both set to be leaned on offensively.
Poitras' loan comes just in time for the pre-tournament schedule. Canada begins a slate of pre-tournament matchups against a U-25 team from Denmark on Dec. 19. The Canadians then play against world junior squads from Switzerland on Dec. 22 and the United States on Dec. 23.
The IIHF World Junior Championship in Gothenburg kicks off on Dec. 26 and lasts until Jan. 5, 2024. The Canadians take on Finland at 8:30 a.m. ET to open their title defense.