BRIGHTON, Mass. — Among the forward prospects participating in a 1-on-1 possession drill at Boston Bruins development camp last month, Brett Harrison and Matthew Poitras took center stage. Quite literally.
With the rest of the pairs scattered across the ice at Warrior Ice Arena, the two competed on top of the center ice Spoked-B logo. Last year, Poitras emerged during training camp and earned a roster spot. This season, Harrison is looking to do the same.
“‘Potsy,’ he showed them last year,” said Harrison, selected by Boston in the third round (No. 85) of the 2021 NHL Draft. “Made it hard for them to send him back to juniors, so that’s what I’m going to try to do.”
If Harrison does not make the Bruins opening-night roster, the 21-year-old will return to Providence of the American Hockey League, where he had 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 47 games last season.
Harrison and Poitras, 20, have known each other since their days in the Ontario Hockey League.
Harrison played 2 1/2 seasons with Oshawa, just a couple towns over from where Poitras grew up in Ajax, Ontario. After Oshawa and Guelph, Poitras’ team, each lost in the 2022 OHL Eastern Quarterfinals, they spent a month training together in Providence, in the process developing a lifelong friendship.
Poitras said Harrison has one of the nicest shots he has ever seen. Based on his experience last year, he said he would advise him to play with confidence and not try to change his game.
“I just tried to take everything day by day,” Poitras said. “I honestly didn’t have too many expectations, but just tried to show my best every day and come prepared and do all the right things. … I would tell him the same thing.”
With Poitras excelling as an NHL rookie (15 points; five goals, 10 assists in 33 games) before a season-ending shoulder injury Feb. 7, Harrison worked to establish himself in the AHL. He had a goal and two assists in Providence’s 6-0 victory in Game 2 of the Atlantic Division Semifinals against Hartford on May 3, his first professional playoff game.
The Bruins believe Harrison is just scratching the surface of his offensive potential.
“He’s getting really dialed in this year in the areas that he knows he needs to improve on,” player development coordinator Adam McQuaid said. “So he’s in a good place, and I think he’s probably looking to be a little bit more involved offensively this season in Providence. Maybe make a push to get up and play some games [in Boston].”
Harrison is focusing on adding muscle mass and improving his skating. Even if he doesn’t make the NHL roster in October, he hopes to put himself in a position to do so sooner than later.
“I feel a lot more comfortable, a lot more confident,” he said. “I’m just trying to show that on the ice and try to let them know that my game can translate and will come out a lot stronger this year.”
