Trade Rumor: Mason Lohrei's name stays out there

David Pagnotta says the Bruins are looking around, and Mason Lohrei's name is still out there.

Boston is 13-4-1 and first in the Atlantic, so this isn't a team in panic mode. It's a contender asking what it can do better while the standings are in its favor.

Pagnotta said the Bruins could use picks, other assets or Lohrei, whose name is "always kind of out there." If there's a way to improve the club, they'll do it. But they aren't looking exclusively at this season.

Pagnotta added that the Bruins are looking with the future in mind, and the post lays that out in his own words:

Nothing here points to active trade talks, and no partner has been named. It's a general market check, and Lohrei is one of the pieces that keeps coming up in it.

The timing matters. Boston has been tied to Dylan Larkin in recent trade talk, and the Bruins have also been linked to Simon Edvinsson. Pagnotta earlier said the team wants another stable body on the back end, which makes Lohrei an obvious chip in any defense deal.

On the ice, the 25-year-old has 3 goals and 3 assists in 18 games and is a +4. In today's practice lines he skated on the third pair with Frederic Brunet, with Jonathan Aspirot and Connor Clifton as the extras.

Would the Bruins really move Mason Lohrei?

Only for a real top-four defenseman. Lohrei has 209 NHL games behind him and still has a lot of runway at 25, and he's not a name you hand over for a rental or a depth piece.

The depth behind him is also better than expected. Brunet has 5 points in 12 games and a +5, so the third pair isn't a hole if Lohrei goes out the door.

Larkin is a harder sell. He's 30, and a center with 6 points in 10 games doesn't fit well with a front office that says it has the future in mind. The Edvinsson angle makes more sense on paper, and Boston's earlier interest in Edvinsson was already on the table in late October.

Pagnotta's wording suggests general manager Don Sweeney will wait for the right deal rather than force one. The Bruins carry a four-game winning streak into Thursday's game against the Canadiens, and the trade chatter isn't going away.

Quick hits

VANCOUVER CANUCKSThe Canucks have placed Ilya Safonov on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination, general manager Ryan Johnson announced today. That's a final move, not a waiver pickup.

ANAHEIM DUCKSNico Myatovic has been reassigned, and Troy Terry is set to be activated for tonight's game against the Predators. Getting Terry back is a big lift for Anaheim.

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTSMark Stone is three points from passing Jonathan Marchessault as the franchise's all-time leading scorer, and Vegas hosts Utah tonight. The record could fall in front of the home crowd.

PHILADELPHIA FLYERSDanny Briere told Frank Seravalli the Flyers have "no plan" to trade Matvei Michkov. The GM's answer lands hours before puck drop in Edmonton.

INJURYThe NHL announced that Brayden Point has been placed on injured reserve, hours before the Lightning face the Sabres in Buffalo. Tampa Bay has to adjust its lineup.

This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.