The Boston Bruins are still licking their wounds after a first-round playoff exit to the Buffalo Sabres. And now they’re poking around the trade market, seeing what’s out there. It sounds like defenseman Mason Lohrei could be part of that shuffle.
The Athletic’s Chris Johnston reported that Lohrei’s name came up in trade chatter last season, specifically when the Bruins were talking to Calgary about Rasmus Andersson. That conversation didn’t go anywhere then, but it tells you the front office is willing to listen.
Lohrei, a second-round pick in 2020 (58th overall), finished his rookie-ish season with 7 goals and 19 assists over 73 games. Not bad for a 6-foot-4 kid who skates like he’s smaller. He’s got that mobility teams covet, especially from the back end. And he chipped in offensively, even if the points didn’t come in three playoff games this year. Zero points in that short series, which probably didn’t help his case.
The real draw here is his contract. Lohrei is in the last year of a two-year deal with a $3.2 million cap hit. That’s cheap for a young defenseman with his size and skill. And he’s still a restricted free agent after that, so any team trading for him gets at least some control. It’s not a rental situation, which makes him a more interesting trade chip than just a cap dump.
Johnston wrote that Lohrei “is incredibly mobile for his size and will chip in with a bit of offense from the back end. He’s also made strides defensively.” That last part matters because defense was a question mark when he first came up. He split time between Boston and Providence in 2023-24 — 21 games in the AHL — before sticking with the big club this past season.
For what it’s worth, the Bruins haven’t confirmed anything publicly. They’re probably just keeping their options open. But with Pavel Zacha also drawing trade interest, it feels like Boston is testing the temperature on a few different roster pieces. They need to get better, and fast. The East isn’t getting any easier.
Lohrei turns 25 in January. That’s the age where defensemen either take a real step or start getting labeled as “what-if” guys. The Bruins have to decide which one they think he is, and whether they want to find out on someone else’s dime.
Leave a Comment