Matt Poitras’ rookie season did not end the way he wanted. But he hopes his short NHL experience, as well as the hard knock that put a halt to it for now, will make him even more ready for the big leagues when training camp opens again in September.

The crafty centerman underwent open stabilization surgery on his right shoulder on February 7, effectively ending his season. Speaking for the first time since the procedure, Poitras said the issue first cropped up for him during his last season in Guelph but that it didn’t bother him last summer or at the first part of the season.

When the issue cropped up around Christmas and persisted – he had to leave the game in Arizona on January 9 and missed some time after that — he tried to play through it. But coming out of the All-Star break, it was decided by all parties involved that it would be best to get the procedure done now instead of waiting till the offseason.

“Obviously, I was very disappointed,” said Poitras, who’ll turn 20 on March 10. “You never want to miss a big chunk of time, especially pushing into later in the season. You want to be here and you want to be playing. (But) it was the right thing for me to get this done. It wasn’t worth it to risk further damage to my shoulder. You’ve got to think long-term in hockey and just having a healthy shoulder the rest of my life.”

Poitras said he wasn’t too limited from the pain but it didn’t take too much contact to remind him of the injury he was dealing with. His creativity was also hampered a bit.

“I was wearing a brace, which obviously didn’t let me play exactly how I wanted to play,” said Poitras. “But again, when you have a hurt shoulder, it’s always kind of in the back of your mind so maybe I wasn’t playing the way I wanted to be playing so it’s the right decision to get it fixed.”

He spent a couple of weeks in a sling but is now out of it and has begun the physical therapy and strength training to be ready for training camp.

“For me, I’m going to try to use this time to put on a bit of size and where I might have been lacking in some strength this will be a good opportunity for me to make up for that,” said Poitras.

A second round pick (54th overall) in 2022, Poitras surprised a lot of people by taking advantage of the void at center with the loss of centers Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci and Tomas Nosek and making the club out of camp. He now looks at the NHL time under his belt as gravy.

“I got a good chunk of the season in and I’ll be here for the rest of the year just learning, so I feel like I wasn’t really expecting to make the team and this year was a bonus playing up here and learning and experiencing life in the NHL and living on my own….those types of things. It’s really good to learn that stuff so I’m more prepared for next season,” said Poitras, who had 5-10-15 totals in 33 games.

He’d much rather be playing, of course, but he’s going to make the most of the stretch run.

“All the guys around here have been really supportive of me,” said Poitras. “We’ve got an older group here that I can watch and learn from, even now that I’m not playing, can watch how they handle things the rest of the season down the stretch. It’s still going to be a good opportunity for me to be around and learn.”….

Derek Forbort explained how he missed a team meeting in Seattle and thus earned a disciplinary scratch for that game.

“I forgot to double check the alarm and what it was set at. It’s on me. (Expletive) happens,” said the veteran defenseman who’ll turn 32 on March 4.

“I had a couple of calls (from teammates trying to wake him) but the phone was on silent. I already bought a real alarm clock so I’ll be traveling with double now.”

Forbort, at least, has someone he can commiserate with.

“The first text I got was from Jake DeBrusk. He said ‘you’ll get through this,’” said Forbort with a chuckle. “It sucks and it’s a bad feeling, but it’s life.”

DeBrusk felt the same shame back in October when he missed a meeting and was scratched from game in Los Angeles.

It’s been a tough season for Forbort. He’s battled a groin injury from the start of camp and missed a month and a half in December and January while on LTIR. While the scratch in Seattle was due to the missed meeting, he was set to be scratched again on Thursday in the B’s game against the Golden Knights. Coach Jim Montgomery, while expressing he’s got confidence in his entire D corps, said he liked how his defense played in the last game, which saw Parker Wotherspoon playing on his natural left side with righty Kevin Shattenkirk.

Now Forbort has to work his way back into the lineup.

“(The season) has been kind of challenging but I’m just trying get extra work in and keep the pace up and get as many reps as I can,” said Forbort…

Jakub Lauko, a scratch in three of the four previous games, was set to return to the lineup on Thursday. Montgomery had said his intensity had tailed off.

“The message from the coaches was clear to be more intense and bring more energy,” said Lauko, going in for Anthony Richard. “I’ve been working hard lately on and off the ice. I think I’m in good shape so I will try to bring it.”…

Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy, former Bruins’ coach, returned to the Garden for the first time since winning the Stanley Cup last season in his first with Vegas.

“It’s nice to come back with a big, nice shiny ring on your finger, too. Always a good visit with that,” Cassidy told reporters at the morning skate at the Garden.