Bruins Clan Confused Over Boston Star Amidst Brutal Injury Break

If you’re a Bruins fan or honestly just an NHL fan with a pulse, you probably saw that clip. The one where a young Bruin got absolutely wrecked near the Islanders bench — and not just your standard hit. Nah, we’re talking a shove combined with a backup goalie door fail combo. Now, fans are strongly hoping that the Bruins avoid risking Matt Poitras and let him rest up for a while before bringing him back into the lineup.

On February 28th, right after the game, a post popped up in the Bruins subreddit titled “Matt Poitras Injury – Any update on Matt Poitras?” And that’s when the comment section began debating: Should he rest? Should he push through? And, most importantly — what was with that door situation?

Here’s the full play-by-play. During Thursday’s matchup, on 27th February, between the Bruins and the Islanders (final score: 2-1 Islanders win, pain), Matt Poitras skated near the Islanders’ bench for a line change. Out of nowhere, Brock Nelson gave him a shove right as Islanders backup goalie Jakub Skarek opened the bench door at the exact wrong time. Poitras slammed into the edge of the door and crumpled to the ice. Spoiler: it was bad. David Pastrnak said, “As a player, you make sure the door is always closed. You don’t want to see that, and you definitely don’t want to see a guy push him into the door. Hopefully Matty’s going to be ok.”

To add insult to literal injury, Brock Nelson walked away without a single penalty, and Bruins fans? They’re not taking that well. People are going mad, calling for fines, suspensions, bench penalties — basically, someone’s head on a platter. But, so far, crickets from the league.

Should Matt Poitras rest or push through? Fans can’t agree

Fans went all in, with one writing, “Seems doubtful they say a lot more than the normal “lower body”. It looks somewhat serious. The backup goalie opening the door like that was bullshit. He needs to be fined.” Okay, let’s be real — that door situation was straight up rookie hour. Opening the door mid-play, especially with a player charging right at it? That’s textbook negligence. Whether it was bad timing or something more sinister (some fans have…theories), Skarek’s mistake turned a standard check into a borderline WWE move. Between Brock Nelson’s push and the door malfunction, Poitras never stood a chance. Fines? Some fans say that’s the bare minimum.

“Shut him down for the season. Let him heal and also strengthen his body,” added another fan. This one’s got support. Poitras isn’t just some guy — he’s been low-key cooking this season. With the Bruins’ hopes of making the playoffs looking shaky at best, people are asking: is it even worth risking Poitras at this point? 

Similarly, more fans echoed this sentiment. A fan wrote, “Leave him alone.” Thinking along the same lines, another fan said, “That was not a simple nick nack injury. He likely has deep bruises.” Let’s not downplay this hit — Poitras got crushed into the sharp edge of a swinging door at full speed. That’s not “ow my ankle,” that’s “possible deep tissue bruising and rib damage” territory. Just because he skated at practice the next day doesn’t mean he’s 100% okay. Head coach Joe Sacco said on Friday that Poitras practiced well and might be available for Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, according to Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald. But fans were advocating for a more cautious approach.

“Like I said, sit him for a couple of games, he should be fine by next week.” Even though Poitras himself has said the injury only amounted to a bruise and some soreness, fans didn’t want to take any risks. It’s understandable too considering the injury list Boston is already dealing with – Hampus Lindholm, Charlie McAvoy and Trent Frederic. Why risk aggravating the injury and creating a longer term issue.

But — and this is a big but — do the Bruins want to gamble on him being “fine” when they’re already hanging onto their playoff hopes by a thread? In the end, the Matt Poitras debate is about more than one player. It’s about how the Bruins want to play this final stretch: all-in at any cost, or play it safe and bet on the future. What’s your take on this? Comment below!