Copyright Heavy.
The Boston Bruins find themselves in a precarious situation with a former second-round pick. Mason Lohrei was once seen as a budding star in Boston’s defense. After all, the former Ohio State Buckeye racked up 33 points in 77 games during his first full season with the Bruins just last year. This tally topped all blueliners on the team. Lohrei’s impressive play even earned him a two-year, $6.4 million contract extension in June. Boston execs fully expected the now 24-year-old defenseman to continue stepping up his game throughout the 2025-26 campaign. This, however, has not yet happened. Lohrei has picked up six points in 11 games so far this season, but has struggled defensively. Due to these issues without the puck, Bruins head coach Marco Sturm has opted to make Lohrei a healthy scratch in each of the last four games. Boston has won all four of these matchups. Jonathan Aspirot has replaced Lohrei in the team’s lineup as of late. NHL Expert Claims Teams are Calling the Boston Bruins regarding Mason Lohrei Sturm previously attempted to ease concerns regarding Lohrei’s future after initially making the move to drop the blueliner. “We expect more from (Lohrei), and sometimes you have to hit that reset button,” Sturm said on October 28, as reported by NESN. “It’s not like we want to bury him. I want to help him, and that’s part of the process. He’s done some good things, but too many mistakes lately.” Nevertheless, the coach continues to field questions on the situation as more games go by. Reporters specifically asked Sturm how Lohrei can benefit from being out of the lineup. “He should be pissed, he should be very pissed,” the coach told NESN. “He should be upset. He works hard in practice. He’s ready, he just waits for his opportunities, but I think that’s the goal, having him out there and be a little bit different when he comes back.” Despite Sturm’s comments, there is now potential trade speculation surrounding Lohrei. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman discussed the situation in his latest Sportsnet column. “I don’t know that there’s anything going on trade-wise with Mason Lohrei,” wrote Friedman. “But I do know that when a talented, young player like him sits four games in a row, others call and ask what’s up.” Trading Lohrei Would be Risky Business for Bruins While teams are likely contacting Boston about Lohrei, many Bruins fans feel trading the defenseman would be risky. Boston Beat host Evan Marinofsky echoes these sentiments. In a recent episode of the podcast, Marinofsky claimed that the team should be patient with the talented player. “I’m not saying that Mason Lohrei is going to be your top pairing stalwart,” proclaimed Marinofsky. “I do not think he’s that. But I’m not ready to just completely move on from him. He has some upside; he has some offensive skill… I’m not done with him yet.” Bruins fans may not be ready to trade Lohrei just yet, but Boston execs could be open to a potential move. The blueliner’s value is not going to increase the longer he sits in the locker room. If another team offers a solid price for the promising player, the Bruins may have to accept the deal.
