What painful news; a great Boston Bruins player has died.

For the last month, Matthew Poitras lodged himself at one of the local hotels in the Boston area.

The talented rookie centerman passed his first audition with the Bruins after making the opening night roster. But his spot wasn’t guaranteed for the long term. The Bruins could’ve sent Poitras back to Guelph (OHL) to finish his junior hockey eligibility after his ninth NHL game.

Indeed, Poitras picked up where he left off, tallying three goals and two assists in that nine-game stretch. On Tuesday, he met with Don Sweeney following an optional practice at Warrior Ice Arena.

Poitras felt he performed well enough to remain in Boston. Before he received his confirmation of his status in Boston, however, Poitras still encountered nerves heading into that meeting with the ninth-year general manager.

“I had the idea it was going to be good news,” Poitras recalled. “I was still a little nervous, but when he said you’re going to stick around for your 10th game and to keep working hard and preparing the same way, you’ll be fine.”

The Bruins entered their centennial season facing uncertainty at center in the first year without Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Poitras’ development provides a needed shot in the arm for their future plans down the middle.

Like Bergeron and Krejci before him, Poitras prides himself on his attention to detail with and without the puck. Because of that, Poitras didn’t feel he needed a specific moment to prove his worth to his new club.

“I think it’s not just one moment,” Poitras said. “I think it’s a combination of playing each game and feeling a little more comfortable and getting the idea of making a small play here and there where it’s like, yeah, maybe I do have a little more time and space and a little more poise that I can play my game and create offense, which is what I do best…and to keep simplifying things.”

The simple approach allowed Poitras to shine during the tail end of Boston’s four-game road trip. The 2022 second-round pick drove hard to the net, finding enough space in front of the crease to notch the tying and go-ahead markers in Anaheim on Oct. 22.