Matt Poitras and Fabian Lysell face a pivotal 2025 training camp with the Boston Bruins.
Poitras has already cleared an unusual hurdle, cracking the roster out of camp in back-to-back years. Even David Pastrnak [needed more time](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6608404/2025/09/08/matt-poitras-nhl-bruins-development/) before his first breakthrough, as noted by Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic.
Yet that distinction has not secured Poitras a long-term place. The 2022 second-rounder owns 66 NHL games, a total cut short by shoulder surgery and then a late-season assignment to Providence.
There, he endured the grind of the AHL playoffs and showed signs of progress in a more physical setting. Development staff praised his willingness to battle, though it remains unclear whether he can lock down a top-nine job this fall.
The Bruins added veteran forwards known for their grit, a group that may complicate Poitras’ push for minutes. Rookie coach Marco Sturm has stressed how much he values his centers to drive the system, leaving Poitras with little room for inconsistency, according to Shinzawa.
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He insists consistency is his priority, and there have been glimpses of a player capable of one day handling second-line duties. But the margin for error is thin.
Lysell finds himself in a similar place. A 2021 first-round pick, the winger had his first NHL taste last season, even scoring a goal during a 12-game stretch.
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He followed that with a scoreless postseason in Providence, an uneven showing that reinforced questions about his readiness.
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Entering his fourth pro campaign, Lysell says he wants to show greater responsibility and maturity on both sides of the puck, a point he emphasized as his main focus in camp, wrote Shinzawa.
Boston’s pipeline has fresh names from recent trades and draft picks. Whether Poitras and Lysell can secure roles before the next wave arrives is the central question.
Featured image via James Guillory/Imagn Images