In 2023, Matt Poitras joined the Boston Bruins on a three-year contract after being drafted by the organization in the second round. At the age of 19, Poitras had immediate impact, earning his first point on an assist in his first-ever National Hockey League game. But his rookie season was cut short by shoulder surgery necessitated by an on-ice injury.

Now he’s back on ice with the Boston Bruins — a brief stint with the American Hockey League’s Providence Bruins, too — and, once again, making an impact as the team battles for a wild-card slot in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

There’s a lot of pressure on the Bruins as a whole, and to unwind, Poitras told Polygon he dabbles in another form of hockey: NHL 25. Poitras said he started playing the franchise with NHL 11, a game that came out when he was around 6 years old, just a few years after he started playing the actual sport. But when Poitras is playing NHL 25, the speedy playmaker center takes on a different role: He prefers left-side defense — “just a big rigid defensive defenseman,” he laughed. Polygon spoke to Poitras after practice on Monday, ahead of Tuesday’s matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs, about the social hobby he called “an escape.”

[Ed. note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]

Polygon: I saw the Behind the B episode where you mentioned playing a bit of Chel. What was the first NHL game you played?

Matt Poitras: Yeah, I’ve been playing for a while. I know we had NHL 07 or 08. I don’t think I really started playing until probably NHL 11 with Jonathan Toews on the cover. That was probably my first one I actually played.

Do you remember what it was like to see yourself in the game for the first time? What was that like?

It was a bit weird. I think it was when I was in junior hockey and my billets [the family that hosts hockey players from out of state] were playing as me on TV. It’s kind of weird, but it’s cool to see yourself in the game, especially a game I’ve been playing for so long. I try not to really use myself. But if I’m playing [Hockey Ultimate Team] I’ll buy myself and put myself in the first line, even though my card’s not very good.

What do you think of your stats in-game?

The only thing is when you have a guy in the game — any pro hockey player — they have to rate it a certain way, but then you’ll have a pro hockey player and he’ll be rated a 75 and can barely do any deke [hockey slang for a deceptive move]. It’s the weirdest thing, but in real life, obviously any pro hockey player is a really good hockey player. I haven’t really looked at my stats, but I’m sure they’re fine.

Is it different now that you can play as yourself as a Bruin?

Yeah, it’s different. My guy’s obviously a bit better than he was before when he was a junior hockey player. But I haven’t used him too much — maybe once or twice. But he’s a lot better than he was — I’m a lot better in the game than I was a couple years ago.

In the Behind the B episode you talked about moving your current teammates around your NHL 25 roster — your roommate Johnny Beecher down to the American Hockey League. Is that you playing as the Bruins organization in franchise mode? What modes are you playing?

I was playing franchise mode when I was hurt. I was just messing around; every once in a while I’ll start franchise mode. I wasn’t even the Bruins. I don’t know who I was — maybe the Ducks. It was one of the first teams you could pick because it’s in alphabetical order. I think it was the Ducks and I traded for [John Beecher] and myself. He came into my room and I was like, “Oh yeah, dude. I traded for you in the game.” He’s like, “Oh, let me see.” And I looked at my roster and he wasn’t there. I went to my AHL team and he was on my first line.

What modes do you play regularly? Do you ever play against the public?

Yeah, for the most part. Me and my buddies back home, we play [EA Sports Hockey League], so it’s either threes or sixes. Usually sixes. That’s just the most fun playing online rather than playing against CPUs, so I find it more fun to play, and you can play with your friends, so that’s obviously a bonus.

So you have a custom player you use?

I play a custom guy. Usually I’ll play as left defenseman.

We have our positions set. I don’t play center because winning draws in the game is so hard, so I always go left defenseman. Just a big rigid defensive defenseman.

I’ve been playing hockey for about a year now, and I find that I’m learning stuff from playing NHL 25. Obviously you’re not learning about positioning from playing the video game, but is there anything you take away from it, or a new perspective it’s given you? You know, playing a video game that’s literally a simulation of your job.

I don’t know if I’ve learned too much from playing. I’m more just playing for fun. I don’t really look into that aspect of it. Maybe. I don’t know. I usually just get on and play. It’s an escape from doing — I guess it’s still hockey, but it’s an escape to do something other than think about playing hockey.

Do you play any other video games?

I’ve gotten away from playing video games. But during COVID, I was playing a lot. I’m sure a lot of people were. But I used to play Call of Duty, a little bit of Fortnite. The other day me and Spoons [Bruins defenseman Parker Wotherspoon] were playing the new Marvel Rivals game. I wasn’t very good at that one. I’m better at Chel. The shooter games, like Fortnite or Call of Duty… I’m not the greatest with aiming and stuff. I’m not a great player. I used to play a lot more but I’ve gotten away from it now.

What character were you playing in Marvel Rivals?

Oh, I was trying to learn about a couple of different ones. I was Doctor Strange for a bit because he is one of the easiest guys to use. And then I was playing as Venom for a bit. I don’t know, [Spoons] was trying to explain it to me. There’s healers and there’s heavy guys. It’s kind of confusing. I wasn’t very good. I let the team down a couple times, I think.

Do you play on the road ever?

I don’t usually bring my games on the road. I think a couple of guys bring their Xboxes or something. But I like to pack light so I don’t usually bring my PlayStation. It just sits on my desk at home. So no, I don’t usually bring anything on the road.

Oh wow, some guys bring their consoles with them?

Yeah, I think they play FIFA or something. I’m not totally sure exactly who brings it, but I know there’s sometimes a couple guys that will bring it. If it’s a long trip, more guys will bring something like that.

So what you’re saying is that you’re all not doing a team-bonding Fortnite session.

[laughs] No, not usually.

What’s your favorite game of all time?

Favorite game of all time… For me, when I was younger, I used to always play Black Ops 2’s Zombies. That was my favorite game to play. It was just easy. Me and my brother would go on our PlayStation 3 and we’d play split-screen and we’d go on that map, like, Town, and we would just play Black Ops 2 for a couple of hours. Or when a buddy came over, I always found Black Ops 2 was my favorite Zombies to play.

OK, back to NHL 25. If you do have to play as a current NHL player, who do you use?

If I’m playing online versus for a Play Now, it’s always nice to go as the Oilers because [Connor] McDavid is just so fast in the game. You just hold down the left stick and fly up the ice. He’s pretty easy to use. Any kind of small, fast guy — I like to use a Jack Hughes or McDavid.