What a difference a few months can make for Mason Lohrei.
Lohrei’s blend of size (6-foot-5, 211 pounds) and playmaking skill on the blue line established him as one of Boston’s most prized prospects. But that unique player profile also painted the picture of a youngster who needed plenty of time to mold his game in the pro ranks.
It didn’t take long for Lohrei to shake the label as a long-term project last season. He accelerated his timeline with a strong preseason before eventually logging 41 games with the Bruins in 2023-24.
Even with the expected growing pains that come with finding one’s game at the NHL level (especially for a young player who switched from forward to defenseman at 16 years old), Lohrei made strides with each new call-up he earned with Boston.
By the time the postseason arrived, Lohrei looked like the player the Bruins envisioned he’d be a few years down the road.
While a matchup against a forechecking-heavy team like the Panthers could have spelled doom for a dynamic (but raw) puck-carrier like Lohrei, he thrived against the eventual Stanley Cup champions. He scored a goal and recorded three points over the six-game series while averaging 16:38 of ice time per contest.
The 23-year-old defenseman has already exceeded whatever expectations were initially set for him last fall. Now, Lohrei is well-positioned for a regular role on Boston’s blue line in 2024-25 — especially when factoring in how the Bruins plan to utilize him this upcoming season.
“The sky’s the limit for him,” Charlie McAvoy said of Lohrei in May. “And he’s got an extremely high ceiling. His potential is off the charts. … He’s worked really hard. And he deserves to be here.”
Lohrei has all of the makings of a top-four fixture in due time with Boston, given both his playmaking prowess and an imposing, athletic frame that should allow him to log 20+ minutes a night as he continues to bulk up.
It could be tempting for Boston to hand Lohrei 19-20 minutes a night in 2024-25 alongside Charlie McAvoy or Brandon Carlo. But, the Bruins’ offseason moves should also allow Lohrei to find his footing in his first full NHL season without necessarily putting him in over his head.
Just a few hours after the Bruins announced the signing of bruising defenseman Nikita Zadorov, Don Sweeney acknowledged the presence of Zadorov in a top-four role also allows Lohrei to earn easier matchups, likely on Boston’s third pair next to Andrew Peeke.
While Lohrei might be better suited at this stage to log 17-18 minutes further down the depth chart, the Bruins are also planning on giving him an extended look on their second power-play unit, where he should be able to showcase his skills and build confidence with each point he registers on the scoresheet.
“We have Mason Lohrei now in a position where it allows him to … probably take him into the second unit of the power play and grow his offensive game in the right way,” Sweeney noted. “Not necessarily be over his skis at times playing 20 minutes a night in the top pair situation. He can, and he’s done a good job, but it just balances things out.”
As Sweeney noted, the Bruins would be thrilled if Lohrei takes a similar leap as last year during the 2024-25 campaign. But, the Bruins don’t necessarily need Lohrei to be a 40-point, 21-minute-a-night stalwart for Boston’s D corps to thrive.
With both Hampus Lindholm and Zadorov ahead of him on the depth chart, Lohrei might avoid a baptism by fire next season, while also carving out more reps on the power play.
Such a opportunity should pay dividends for Lohrei, who is still just scratching the ceiling of his potential.
