By: Andrew Bluestein | Follow Me On Twitter / X @adbblue
After a subpar season opener, Boston Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei found himself on the ninth floor of TD Garden for the home opener against the Montreal Canadiens. Head coach Jim Montgomery sent him a clear message by scratching the 23-year-old, but he’s since responded.
Lohrei got back in the lineup in the Bruins’ third game of the season against the Los Angeles Kings. He was arguably the Bruins’s best defenseman, recording an assist on David Pastrnak’s 2-1 overtime-winning goal. He and Matt Potrais combined for a beautiful give-and-go that set up the Bruins sniper.
Since returning to the lineup, the former second-round pick has been in a groove. He has been a key part of the Bruins’ scoring, recording a goal and an assist in a 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers and an assist in a 5-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche. The Ohio State University product has shown how strong his offensive instincts are. He does a stellar job of breaking the puck out through the neutral zone and moving the puck up the ice.
But Lohrei is most dangerous in the attacking end. When he has the puck on his stick, he sees the ice very well, which allows scoring chances to develop. His skating agility creates plays that open up passing and shooting lanes. Lohrei also has slick hands and can stick handle through traffic. All these attributes make the 6’4 “defenseman a key part of producing offense for the Bruins.
Furthermore, Lohrei has seen time quarterbacking the power play, averaging 1:13 on ice per game, primarily on the second unit. That’s a big responsibility for a young player, but he can do it effectively. He only has one assist thus far, but he’s shown he can make an impact in multiple ways on the man advantage. We also saw this during last season, especially in the playoffs.
There are still many things the second-year defenseman needs to improve, especially defensively. However, he has undoubtedly proven he has the potential to be an offensive force in the NHL for years to come. His physical talent is highly noticeable, and his skating is what can make him dangerous. Expect Lohrei to play a huge role in the Bruins’s offensive output as the season continues.
Lohrei is leading all defenseman in points – in addition to having more points than a number of high paid forwards, despite being sat for two games. The Bruins should be developing their young talent, instead they are instilling fear for every mistake made they may be sat again. Not a good way to motivate players and definitely a wrong message to send.