Poitras coming back to Boston
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Canada’s run for a medal at the hockey World Junior Championship in Sweden ended abruptly in disappointment Tuesday, which means rookie Bruins center Matt Poitras is expected back in Boston Wednesday or Thursday.
Next question: How soon will he be back in the lineup?
“I think he gets back [Wednesday], and then he starts to assimilate back into the group,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said before his team’s 4-1 win over the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena Tuesday night. “How soon he plays again, that’s up for discussion, because it just happened.”
Montgomery met with reporters approximately one hour after Canada was rubbed out by Czechia, 3-2, in a quarterfinal in Gothenburg.
The 19-year-old Poitras, added to the Canada roster Dec. 18, won a job with the Bruins out of training camp and produced a 5-8–13 line across 27 games before the Bruins released him to play in the high-profile tourney.
In five games wearing Canada’s maple leaf, Poitras finished tied for third in team scoring at 2-2–4. The Canadians were led on the scoresheet by Boston University freshman Macklin Celebrini, who delivered 4-4–8. The slick Celebrini, who grew up in Vancouver, has yet to turn 18 and is expected by some to be the No. 1 pick in the upcoming June draft.
The Bruins, who are scheduled to practice Wednesday at Warrior Arena in Brighton, play their next two games at TD Garden,
with the Penguins in town Thursday, followed by the Lightning Saturday.
The earliest return-to-play date for Poitras would be Thursday, but it would not be a surprise if the Bruins gave him a respite, allowing him to adjust to the time change and potential travel fatigue. Extra rest would allow him to recharge in full ahead of a fourgame road trip that begins Monday night in Denver against the Avalanche.
Two big returnees
Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk and left winger James van Riemsdyk were back in the lineup to face the Blue Jackets, following their visit to the press box Sunday in Detroit.
Parker Wotherspoon subbed out to make way for Grzelcyk, and rookie Johnny Beecher was bumped to accommodate JVR.
Montgomery offered little detail about why Beecher was designated, other than to say someone had to sit.
“That was the decision — Beecher,” he said.
Beecher, now in his second year of pro hockey, has produced 4-2–6 in 34 games, though all but one assist came prior to Nov. 27. His minus-6 is tied with Jakub Lauko for worst on the team.
Montgomery’s decision to have van Riemsdyk partner with Trent Frederic at center and Danton Heinen at right wing proved decisive — as all three scored goals that led to the win.
Grzelcyk was paired with fellow ex-BU backliner Kevin Shattenkirk, who scored the Bruins’ first goal Tuesday. Grzelcyk only returned to the lineup Saturday in a win over the Devils, then sat out the New Year’s Eve game in Detroit. Montgomery said then that he wanted to give Grzelcyk an extra blow after returning from shoulder surgery, but Grzelcyk said Tuesday that he felt fine and easily could have suited up.
Montgomery obviously is playing it safe with Grzelcyk, a small but valued puck mover on the back line. He has undergone three shoulder surgeries, including the one that delayed the start to his 2022-23 season. His most recent time on the sideline came following a hit delivered by the Wild’s Marcus Foligno Dec. 19.
“I feel a lot more confident now,” he said. “I think the first 910 games, I felt the points weren’t coming, but I think it was some of the best hockey I’ve played.”
A ready shooter, Grzelcyk landed a season-high five shots on net Saturday. He only had one in Columbus in 19:19 of ice time, but picked up an assist on Shattenkirk’s tally for just his third point of the season.
Power-play mystery
Increasingly impressed by Frederic’s offensive game, Montgomery moved the big forward back off the wing and had him centering JVR and Heinen. It was the correct decision, with Frederic scoring his third goal in his last two games.
Frederic, who scored twice in Detroit, entered the evening without a power-play point over his 233 career games. Of all current NHL forwards, only 13 have played more games and also gone 0-0–0 on the man-advantage.
Asked if the 6-foot-3-inch, 220-pound Frederic would be a worthy candidate for net-front duty on the advantage, Montgomery said, “I think he would be, absolutely. Freddy’s game has grown. He’s playing penalty kill now and I think he’s averaging somewhere between 14 and 15 minutes a game.”
Frederic came into Tuesday averaging 13:14 time on ice for the season, and saw 15:38 against the Blue Jackets.
On the first power-play unit, Morgan Geekie worked the net front, with Charlie Coyle and van Riemsdyk sharing the role on the second unit.
Postgame, Frederic noted he has been in recent PP meetings, with tentative plans to be on the second unit.
“But each time I’ve been ready to get out there, the first unit’s scored,” he said, laughing at the suggestion he is a good-luck charm. “I am, I am . . . I think maybe I should just go to the meetings now.”
Award-worthy play
Newcomer Georgii Merkulov, who made his NHL debut vs. the Devils, shifted into Beecher’s No. 4 center spot, pivoting Lauko and Oskar Steen.
On Tuesday, Merkulov was named the AHL Player of the Month for December. The exOhio State standout popped for 10 goals and 18 points in his most recent 12 games prior to being called up.
Against Columbus, Merkulov saw 12:15 of ice time, posting a shot on goal and two hits.