Mason Lohrei and head coach Marco Sturm are back in the middle of Boston's summer questions after fresh trade chatter around the young defenseman.
The angle is easy to understand.
The Bruins still need more skill, more speed, and more help on the right side, and the free-agent market does not look deep enough to solve all of that cleanly.
That is why Lohrei keeps showing up in these conversations.
He is 25, he is still the youngest NHL defenseman on Boston's roster, and he just flipped a brutal minus-43 from the year before into a plus-17 this season.
He also scored a career-high 7 goals, including 2 on the power play, which is exactly the kind of offensive upside that makes other teams pay attention.
Don Sweeney has not hidden the talent either. He said Lohrei has “a lot of upside,” and later called him “a pretty damn good player for us” after the stretch where he moved to the right side next to Hampus Lindholm.
“The Bruins are looking to add skill and speed, and they need help on the right side. They have a player in-house that they have already dangled in a trade to address that need, and they may have to do it again this summer.” - Jack Studley, Boston Hockey Now
That matters because Boston already showed it was willing to at least think hard about moving him when the Bruins explored a deal for Rasmus Andersson during the season.
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This is where the story gets uncomfortable for Boston.
Lohrei found a home on the right side of Lindholm, which gave the Bruins a real look at something useful and maybe even scalable.
But he also ended the year in a bad place. He sat out the final 3 playoff games, and Sweeney later said he had “lost his confidence a little bit in the playoffs.” Boston Hockey Now also reported Sturm had scratched him earlier in the season and told him he “should be pissed.”
“If the right target emerged,” Boston has already shown a willingness to move Mason Lohrei before. Now, after another up-and-down playoff run, the possibility is back on the table. - Jack Studley, Boston Hockey Now
That kind of finish cuts both ways. It may make Boston hesitate. It may also make Boston think now is the time to cash in if the right return shows up.
There is still real protection in the contract too. Lohrei is on a 2-year deal worth $3.2 million annually and will still be a restricted free agent when it ends.
“Lohrei is still a valuable trade asset. His ceiling is still high, and he showed both offensive upside and improvement in his defensive game this season.” - Jack Studley, Boston Hockey Now
Add in the fact that he is with Team USA at the World Championship, and his profile stays visible. The file says he is playing top-pair minutes with Justin Faulk, while USA Hockey confirms both are on the roster.
That is why this rumor has weight.
Lohrei is talented enough to keep, young enough to bet on, and valuable enough to move.
Should the Bruins keep Mason Lohrei unless the return is huge?
Voting closed
