Lohrei-der is a Real Goer - or - Playing North of the Mason D(ixon) line.

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Let's talk about our boy from the bayou, Mason Lohrei.

He's been sort of controversial around these parts (gamethreads) so far this season, and I think he's worth taking a deeper look at.

This will be his first full season in the NHL, after playing 41 games as a 23 year old rookie last season.

His counting stats for a young, learning defenseman are pretty solid. 5G, 24A, 29 points in 62 games for a close to .5ppg. Much of his damage has been done on the PP where he's got 1g and 13a.

His defensive play has been...erratic. Despite being listed at 6'5, 220. He still looks like he doesn't completely know what to do with his body at times, and can get lost in the zone losing his assignment. Many on this board think he's a lost cause, but a reminder that he didn't start playing defense until he was a teenager. And common wisdown in hockey is that young defenseman take longer to hone that part of their game than younger forwards (look at players like Rasmus Dahlin or Dougie Hamilton).

Offensively, he plays a very mature and electric game that the Bruins have sorely missed on their backend since losing Krug. His vision, creativity, and movement with the puck is already a net positive and something we should only see grow as he gets more reps, more confidence, and gains more body control.

The thing that gives me the most hope is that as the season has progressed, his bad defensive games are fewer and farther between, and HOW bad they are seems to be lessening. He's not a good defenseman, yet - but even if he were to eventually become average, his offense leaps him into top 4 conversation pretty quickly.

If the Bruins are going to get back in contention, Lohrei making the leap and becoming a true #2 to McAvoy's #1 is where it starts. The kid certainly seems to have the body, the skating, and the instints - hopefully the coaching can help him put it together.

View: https://twitter.com/TCalauttis/status/1899591216351617038

 

[ColdSoxPack]

Coun't me in. I'm a fan. High ceiling he has.

 

[Manramsclan]

That picture of him really hammers home how young he is. He looks like one of my sons 11U baseball teammates, except he is 6'5" 220.

He is mystifying in the way that, as you point out, he looks so smooth on offense and with the puck but like a baby giraffe when playing D.
I had no idea that he didn't start playing defense until he was a teenager which clearly wasn't that long ago. Although he has frustrated me at times when I'm just like "TAKE THE BODY", I see a lot of upside now with that knowledge. I wonder if he also had a huge growth spurt and then got moved to D. It's a totally different set of skills back there, especially if you haven't done it before.

 

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He switched to defense at 16.

https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-bruins/2024/10/10/mason-lohrei-boston-bruins-development-don-sweeney-nhl-hockey/?amp=1

 

[burstnbloom]

Right now, Mason has the look of a Ghostisbehere type, who can facilitate and drive the offense, but can give back a ton of his value on the other end. If you cover a player like that, you can get a lot out of them. He did have a stretch where he and McAvoy put up a 54% xG where it seemed like he was putting it together. If he can accomplish that, I can live with the warts and how he sometimes looks lost, because the net result is overwhelmingly positive. It remains to be seen, but I am hopeful.

 

[katnado]

I truly hope he figures it out because his offensive instincts, shot, and skating are all game changers. His passing is accurate and typically his first pass out of the zone is really good. The issue is that he's an absolute dumpster fire in his own end. It's like his brain shuts off once he enters his own zone without the puck. He's consistently out of position, his net front leaves much to be desired and his has zero clue how to use his body.

As others have said, coaching can hopefully correct a ton of that and he merely needs to get to average defensively to be a huge asset to the team. But currently he's nowhere near average defensively. He's young, from all accounts takes coaching well and the Bruins in their current state in their rebuild/retool can afford to take their time to see if he gets there. His offensive and puck moving skill is so tantalizing. I hope he can fix his defensive game.

 

[Myt1]

I truly hope he figures it out because his offensive instincts, shot, and skating are all game changers. His passing is accurate and typically his first pass out of the zone is really good. The issue is that he's an absolute dumpster fire in his own end.

For me, playing the blue line and neutral zone without the puck is the bigger issue. He can at least fall back on structures and assignment in his own end, and there is less space to cover and be aware of (shitty analogy: defending X and goal in football). His brain seems to explode when he has to process in those blue line and neutral zone defensive situations, and his fawn-like skating legs show more when he has to go from a stop to a start or shift quickly.

 

[katnado]

For me, playing the blue line and neutral zone without the puck is the bigger issue. He can at least fall back on structures and assignment in his own end, and there is less space to cover and be aware of (shitty analogy: defending X and goal in football). His brain seems to explode when he has to process in those blue line and neutral zone defensive situations, and his fawn-like skating legs show more when he has to go from a stop to a start or shift quickly.

I agree, his issues without the puck and having defensive assignments is where that converted forward issue pops up. He has issues on the opposing blue line as well with brain lock with the puck, but to his credit he's gotten better with those as the season has gone on. He really is just completely lost without the puck and what he's supposed to be doing.