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Why a brewing situation with an unhappy player in Boston has the Penguins paying attention


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Daniel Lucente
January 31, 2026  (12:28)
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Boston Bruins center Matthew Poitras (51) shoots the puck against Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) during the second period at PPG Paints Arena.
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Matthew Poitras trade chatter is bubbling, and it feels like a real Penguins fit.

Elliotte Friedman told The FAN Hockey Show he’s "wondered" about Poitras.
Friedman added he senses both sides "aren’t 100% happy" with each other.
The read is simple, Boston expected more, and Poitras expected more too.
Then Friedman went a step further on the call-up conversation.
"I've wondered about Matthew Poitras; you can tell that both sides aren't 100% happy with each other here, I think the Bruins have expected more, I think Poitras would expect more."

- Elliotte Friedman
Re Bruins/Poitras call-up: "I don't know if I call it a showcase, but I do think that it wouldn't be a shock if something happened there."

- Elliotte Friedman
He said he wouldn’t call it a "showcase," but it wouldn’t shock him if something happened.
That kind of phrasing is basically a flare in the night sky.
Poitras is 21, drafted in 2022, round 2, No. 54 overall by the Boston Bruins.
He’s producing in Providence this season with 8-16-24 in 39 AHL games.
He’s also logged one NHL game in 2025-26, so the door is not closed.

Matthew Poitras could match the Pittsburgh Penguins timeline

Penguins fans are tired of "later," but they still want the next real top-six center.
Pittsburgh is 27-14-11, so this isn’t a tank roster shopping for lottery tickets.
Kyle Dubas can chase help now while still stacking young skill behind Sidney Crosby.
Poitras plays with pace, and his best value is cheap offense that can grow.
His cap hit shows as $870,000 through 2025-26, and he’s listed as an RFA after that.
If Boston really is feeling internal friction, Pittsburgh should at least ask the price.
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Why a brewing situation with an unhappy player in Boston has the Penguins paying attention

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