Not everybody is surprised by Bruins rookie Matt Poitras’ success

They’re not surprised in Guelph.

In Boston, Matt Poitras’ eye-opening performance has been one of the biggest surprises of the NHL’s preseason. Despite being just 19-years-old,Poitras has not only played well enough to possibly earn himself a spot in the Bruins’ opening night lineup, but he’s been one of the best players on the roster so far.

But fans of the Storm in the city west of Toronto and around the Ontario Hockey League know what Matt Poitras can do, and the Bruins’ 2022 second-round pick has seemed destined to make the leap.

Chad Wiseman certainly isn’t surprised.

“It’s not very surprising at all. Matthew is a very dedicated athlete, who has matured quite a bit over the last year and a half,” Guelph’s coach said Friday. “Physically and mentally, he put the work in. His on-ice abilities speak for themselves.”

The Bruins can either keep him on their NHL roster or send him back to Guelph. Poitras is not eligible to go to the American Hockey League. The Bruins can extend his audition nine games into the regular season before deciding his fate.

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said Friday that using those nine games is very much in consideration for the Bruins as they figure out their roster for Wednesday’s opening game against the Chicago Blackhawks at TD Garden. If Poitras makes it, he’ll take the ice that night against Connor Bedard, an 18-year-old who is projected for superstardom.

Wiseman admitted part of him has been hoping the Bruins decide to give the baby-faced center one more year of marination in junior hockey. He’d love to have one more season with Poitras, who averaged over a point-and-a-half per game for him last year (16 goals, 79 assists in 63 games). But at the same time, Wiseman, who had worked with Poitras, first as an assistant coach and then his head coach last year, is rooting for him and isn’t surprised that he’s accelerated his professional timetable.

“We talk about him daily in a group chat,” he said. “Everyone is excited for him. He’s a well-liked player in our group. Selfishly we want him back to be part of the great group we have here, but everyone is also cheering for him to have the opportunity to stay and start the season there.”

Poitras stood out right away in the preseason for the Bruins. The more tests he passed, the more challenges they threw at him. More minutes. Tough travel. Kill penalties. Center the power play. Three-on-three work in overtime and a penalty shot in the shootout. He skated shifts with just about every NHL-bound player on the roster as the Bruins dared him to succeed.

He got better game to game and even period to period, winning puck battles against NHL veterans. Wiseman thought that in addition to his competitiveness and intelligence, Poitras’ lacrosse background was valuable. His brother Adam Poitras is a star attackman at Loyola. He’ll be a senior this spring but was already selected second overall in the National Lacrosse League draft.

“Matthew has an ability to be on the puck all the time and to come out of battles with the puck. He has the natural ability to come out of those situations with the puck,” said Wiseman, a longtime NHL forward, who had his best professional season in Springfield in 2009-10. “He was also a pretty elite lacrosse player. I do believe he has a lot of fantastic habits. Ball protection and puck protection and ability to play in those tight areas are similar in both sports. Having that background is huge for him.”

But Poitras’ biggest asset has been his eagerness to adapt.

“Most 15-year-olds that come to the OHL are pretty raw with their habits,” said Wiseman, who compared him to Tampa Bay All-Star Brayden Point. “His willingness to add to his toolbox and create that routine every day. His off-ice dedication is probably what’s allowing him to play at that NHL level. He really rounded out his all-around game. ... He’s a smart guy. Whatever situation you put him in, he’s going to adjust. He has that ability.”

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If Poitras isn’t in the NHL this season, Wiseman said it’s just a matter of time.

“This isn’t a surprise to anyone on our staff or in our association.”