By: Jack Studley | Follow me on Twitter/X @jackstudley13
Mason Lohrei has been an intriguing player to watch as he develops his game as an NHL defenseman. The 24-year-old was selected by the Bruins in round two of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and transitioned from college hockey at Ohio State to the Providence Bruins during the 2022-23 season. He signed a two-year entry-level contract after that season and has since played 118 games with Boston. Earlier this summer, the Bruins announced they extended Mason Lohrei, signing him to a two-year contract worth $6,400,000.
Last season, Mason Lohrei’s game showed signs of improvement in certain areas, but work is still needed elsewhere. Mason Lohrei led all Bruins defensemen in points, with a 5-28–33 stat line. He was second to David Pastrnak for power play points, scoring once and adding 15 assists to a power play that finished 29th in the league. Lohrei has shown an ability to be a threatening offensive defenseman and a reliable powerplay quarterback. Lohrei also looked much more comfortable with the puck on his stick, especially in transition.
However, as a young NHL player, growing pains happen. Lohrei finished with a -43, the lowest +/- rating in the NHL last season. That rating does not account for points scored on the power play, but regardless, that is not a stat you want to see a Bruin at the bottom of. After the Four Nations Faceoff, Lohrei accumulated a -31 rating. The defensive pairing of Lohrei and Andrew Peeke saw its struggles throughout the season; according to NaturalStatTrick, the pair was on the ice at even strength for 21 goals scored, but 34 against. They played with each other a lot, but no other defensive pair came close to their -13 goal differential together at even strength.
Lohrei needs to improve on the defensive side of the game. His offensive ability turns him into a weapon on the ice, but his -43 is an issue for a defenseman. He was on the ice for 105 goals against, which ended as the most on the team. He does not need to become a two-way option or a shut-down defender, but as long as he can be more reliable on the defensive end, both numbers will change. His offensive ability is where his game is the strongest, but fine-tuning the defensive game to limit turnovers and win battles will help Lohrei’s game improve.
With the Bruins’ defense returning to full health this season, we should be able to see the defensive foundation on which the Bruins are built. One of the changes comes behind the bench, with a new head coach in Marco Sturm, and like any new head coach, he knows what he wants to see. “I liked him and McAvoy,” Sturm said in an interview on 98.5 with Mike Felger and Tony Massarotti, “they were actually a pretty good pair, so we’ll see that. Maybe he needs a partner like that.” Sturm’s early praise for pairing Mason Lohrei with Charlie McAvoy could preview what is coming this October, especially when you consider the success that the Zadorov-Jokiharju pairing had towards the end of the season.
Last season, Lohrei and McAvoy played 257 even-strength minutes together, ending with an even goal differential – 12 goals for and 12 against. A positive goal difference would be better, but this works considering how the Bruins played last season. Lohrei is a highly gifted offensive-defenseman, and lining him with the two-way mind of Charlie McAvoy would provide the Bruins with a solid defensive pairing. Allowing Charlie McAvoy to play his defensive game, an aggressive old-school style, would let Lohrei be the offensive mind on the pairing; however, McAvoy’s two-way game can turn anyone on the ice into an offensive threat if these two are a pair.
Marco Sturm comes to Boston after working with the Ontario Reign, the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings. While there, he focused on developing players into NHL talent while routinely making it to the AHL playoffs. In Ontario, Sturm oversaw the development of now-Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke, who put up the same 5-28–33 stat line that Mason Lohrei posted for the Bruins last season. The NHL is not a development league, but Sturm can use his experience in development to help guide Lohrei back on track.
Jay Leach, the Bruins’ assistant coach who works with the defense, was retained and will stay on Marco Sturm’s staff for the 2025-26 season. This season will be his second behind the Bruins bench, but before this stint, he spent five years in the organization and was the Providence head coach from 2017-21. The defense corps was riddled with injuries last season, giving Leach a challenging task to achieve in year one. However, by keeping him on the staff, he can continue the work he started with the players last season, only getting his foot in the door for a year before potentially being replaced. Now, Lohrei has a defensive coach that he is familiar with and can help improve his defensive game, as well as a new head coach who will give him a great opportunity.
Mason Lohrei finished second on the Bruins last season in power play points. Lohrei had a goal and 15 assists while the Bruins were on the man advantage. His unpredictability with the puck makes him hard to read and a strong option for the power play. Under the new assistant coach, Steve Spott, the power play for next season will have a fresh mind directing it, and Mason Lohrei’s offensive mind can help drive more success on a power play that desperately needs to change. Spott has a history of running a successful power play at the highest level and assisting the development of young players into the NHL. Thomas Harley, the 23-year-old defenseman on Dallas, put up 1-14–15 on a Spott-led power play last season.
The two-year deal that Mason Lohrei signed benefits both him and the Bruins. The team gets a bridge deal, and Lohrei gets two years to prove himself before signing a bigger contract, especially with the salary cap rising. Lohrei will be 26 years old and a restricted free agent upon the expiry of this extension, and he will have four seasons of NHL experience under his belt. The defensive core is built through 2030, with Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, and Nikita Zadorov all signed for the next five seasons. The contract that Lohrei signed earlier this summer puts him in a position to be a pillar of the defense core going forward.
As a defenseman, Mason Lohrei is an offensive weapon for the Bruins. His defensive game needs to improve, but if Marco Sturm pairs Lohrei with Charlie McAvoy, the two could continue to see some of the success they started to see last season. Lohrei can take a considerable step forward and become a mainstay on the Bruins’ top group if the pair continues to click. With a bridge deal signed, a new coach, and a prime opportunity to step into the top pair and the power play, the stage is set for Lohrei to prove himself this season.
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