Matthew Poitras is a highly-intelligent forward who plays the game at a high pace, showing a knack for being a facilitator. He flashes high-end puck skills, combining them with great vision and a patience with the puck on his stick. He has the ability to create a play out of nowhere because, even when it looks like he’s in trouble, he knows where his outlets are and has the ability to hit them with accurate passes. It helps him get defenders to overcommit. He thrives when he’s driving the bus. His ability to drive play and serve as the engine for his team is really noticeable and should translate well to the next level. He does tend to struggle and become less engaged when the play isn’t flowing through him. He needs to work at his off-the-puck game, becoming a more engaged player will help but he also needs to learn the nuances of getting open, finding dead areas, and providing an outlet for his teammates. It’s one thing to be effective with the puck, but the truly great players are just as effective when someone else is carrying the play. Coupling in with his off-puck play, he struggles in the defensive zone. He zones in on the puck too often and forgets where his assignment is, resulting in an open player finding their way to the slot for prime scoring chances. It’s not so much an effort issue as a focus issue. This can easily be improved with a little bit of coaching, and if his off-puck effort can come up to a level anywhere near his effort level with the puck, he will become one of the more well-rounded players the OHL has to offer. If Poitras hits his full potential, he will be a top-six playmaking center who creates for his linemates and with his passing and puck skills he can easily help run one of his team’s power play units.

– FCHockey’s 2022 NHL Draft Guide