The World Junior Championship unfolded unexpectedly for Matt Poitras. Without securing any medal, Poitras and his Canadian team, fixated on gold, left Sweden empty-handed. Now, the Boston Bruins face the challenge of reintegrating Poitras into their team. He missed the recent 6-5 defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Bruins are next up against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. The decision isn't easy.
With Poitras, the Bruins now have seven active centers, including Pavel Zacha, Morgan Geekie, Charlie Coyle, Trent Frederic, Johnny Beecher, and Georgii Merkulov. In the game against the Penguins, Zacha and Beecher were shifted to left wing. The Bruins, having parted with three centers in the offseason, find themselves in a tight spot with an overcrowded center lineup. It's tricky to find the perfect moment for Poitras' return, especially with the Bruins heading for a four-game road trip after facing a points-hungry Tampa team. Poitras' re-entry might lead to another center playing as a winger. This situation suggests two things: the Bruins have several choices for the center position, but they urgently need a powerful winger.
