Mason Lohrei is the kind of young player that can be incredibly challenging from a development perspective.
The 25-year-old has oodles of offensive skill and has been one of the most productive D-men for the Bruins in back-to-back seasons while finishing with seven goals and 26 points in 73 games this season while drastically improving his plus/minus from a grotesque minus-43 two years ago to a plus-17 this past season while largely playing his “off side” on the right as a left-shot defenseman.
And the young D-man is obviously well-regarded enough that he’s been on Team USA’s radar for the World Championships in each of the last two seasons and has been a top-4 guy throughout the international tournament. Lohrei doesn’t have any points to this point in the tourney, but he’s been a steady blueliner for an American group that’s featured fellow B’s players James Hagens and Alex Steeves, as well as old friend Connor Clifton.
But there are still dips and valleys in the always challenging development path for a young D-man, and he hit a big one at the end of this year when he was a healthy scratch for the last few playoff games against the Buffalo Sabres.
It felt like Lohrei was still processing all of that when the season was over, as the Bruins held their breakup day.
“[It was] definitely just another…another step in the process is kind of how I look at it and just assess what I need to work on this summer and then go from there,” said Lohrei. “I honestly haven’t thought too much [about the season]. It’s only been a couple days here, but I’m sure once I get out of here, I’ll be able to reflect more.
“It’s kind of always the same thing. I always try to get faster, quicker, you know, foot speed and that’s a big one is just skating and getting quicker and then continue to get stronger and fill out my frame. It’s kind of the same thing every summer, to be honest with you.”
Jordan Harris stepped in and was a downgrade from Lohrei in Game 4, but Henri Jokiharju played well in a bottom-pairing role in the last couple of postseason games before Boston was eliminated by the Buffalo Sabres.
“A lot of times Henri [Jokiharju] came back in the lineup, and his first game was really good, and maybe it drops off a little bit. But coming back into the middle of the series, with the stakes where they were, he’s a pro. He responded really well,” said Don Sweeney. “I saw him play in the Olympics and the same thing. So from a capable standpoint, a lot of it’s still on the player to be able to provide what the coach is looking for and adjust. And then the coach has to reset. If he does do that, you’ve got to give him a little rope to allow it to play out.
“[It was] no different than Mason [Lohrei], to tell you the honest truth, going through a stretch of when he goes to play with Hampus [Lindholm] [and] played 20, 25 games [at a high level]. There was a lot more conviction. There was a lot more crispness to his game. And unfortunately, he had some hiccups in the game, and they made a decision there. Doesn’t mean we lose confidence in the player. Players sometimes lose confidence in themselves, and you’ve got to battle that back.”
While not the sole reason for assistant coach Jay Leach reportedly departing the B’s coaching staff ahead of next season, it would be surprising if Lohrei’s good-but-not-great development didn’t play some role in a change to the defensive voice on the Boston staff. It also stands to reason that the B’s will be listening on trade overtures for Lohrei this offseason after he was reportedly one of the key pieces heading back to Calgary in the trade offers for Rasmus Andersson that never came to fruition this past season.
Lohrei would be a prime, young NHL roster piece that could be headed the other way if the Bruins go the trade route to find another top 4 defenseman for their roster that would put them much closer to being Stanley Cup-contending caliber. It’s very easy to see him as one of the pieces headed to New Jersey, for instance, after it was learned this week that former No. 2 overall pick Simon Nemec may want out of New Jersey and the Devils organization.
Then again, perhaps there is also a benefit to continuing to show patience with Lohrei’s game, as the skills and talent are obviously there, and the defenseman’s position can require
