Mason Lohrei looking to further elevate his stock as Bruins’ top blue-line prospect

An offseason knee procedure precluded Mason Lohrei from taking part in any on-ice activities during Bruins Development Camp this week, but all it takes is a quick glance at the 21-year-old defenseman to see just how far the 2020 draft pick has come since Boston first plucked him out of relative obscurity in the second round. 

When Boston targeted the big-bodied blueliner out of the USHL, the B’s were smitten with his tantalizing potential of size (6-foot-4) and high-end skill — his poise with the puck a byproduct of Lohrei’s many years spent as a forward. 

Of course, a unicorn of a prospect such as Lohrei does need plenty of marinating in order to realize their potential. And for as much as Lohrei’s O-zone prowess was notable with the Green Bay Gamblers, it was clear that he was going to need to tack on some weight to that wirey frame and iron out some of his D-zone details in order to hold his own at the collegiate ranks.

But be it his notable bulk-up this summer or the impressive production put forth as a freshman at Ohio State this past season, it’s pretty evident that Lohrei’s upward trajectory as a blue-chip prospect doesn’t seem to be stalling out any time soon.

"His frame — he's filling out,” Bruins Director of Player Development Jamie Langenbrunner said of what stands out about Lohrei’s development. “He's going from a boy to a man. He carries himself just a little bit differently now. I think watching him during the season, unfortunately for you guys, you weren't able to see him. It's just his poise with the puck. 

“His ability to create and make plays and at 6-foot-5 or whatever he is, to move like he does? It's pretty impressive. I think the thing you'll get from all the staff around here on him is the way he carries himself in the room. Everyone really enjoys him and it's been great just having him here, even though he couldn't skate. He's progressing well.”

 Lohrei, who participated in all off-ice activities, excursions, video reviews and other ventures related to Dev Camp, didn’t necessarily have to pop during a scrimmage to put himself on the radar of many B’s fans.

For all of the hurdles that young players often face when they make the jump from leagues like the USHL to the collegiate level, Lohrei didn’t miss a beat with the Buckeyes in 2021-22 — logging top-pairing minutes and PP1 reps for a young roster over in Ohio. 

In total, Lohrei finished second on the Buckeyes in scoring (behind fellow freshman and B’s prospect Georgii Merkulov) with 29 points (four goals, 25 points) in just 31 games, ranking fourth in the NCAA in scoring among freshman defensemen.

Of course, like most offensive-minded D-men, Lohrei acknowledged that he’ll need to continue to hone his play in his team’s own end before he feels he can make the jump to the next level.  

“Definitely just getting stronger defensively — being more physical, harder to play against,” Lohrei said of what he’s focusing on with his game. “ I talked a lot this year with Jamie and Adam (McQuaid) about working on my stick, working on my gap, closing quicker and faster. I want to play against the other team's best players and shut them down. It's something I take a lot of pride in, keep working on that."

Of course, given Lohrei’s rather seamless transition up at Ohio State, you could have made the argument that the defenseman was ready to sign his entry-level deal this past spring — spending the 2022-23 campaign with Providence in order to further round out his game at the next level.

But for Lohrei, there’s still plenty of room to grow with the heavy reps on tap with the Buckeyes, along with some unfinished business. 

"I think going back and just continuing to work on my game and get stronger, quicker — work on my defending. Just little detail stuff like that is pretty intriguing to me to just go back," Lohrei said of returning to Ohio State for his sophomore season. "And then obviously, I grew up dreaming of winning a national championship. And that's kind of the main goal. So I'll go back and try to accomplish that this year.”

Bruins fans will need to wait a bit longer before they can observe Lohrei’s game up close — be it in Providence or eventually in Boston. 

But not too long. Because Boston’s most gifted prospect on defense already seems to be knocking at the door. 

“I try not to focus on that stuff too much,” Lohrei said of eventually making the jump to the pros. “But it's exciting. You feel yourself getting closer. It's every kid's dream, to play in the NHL. So hopefully I make that jump sooner rather than later."