The Boston Bruins have come to terms either one of their own. They have locked up defenseman Mason Lohrei to a bridge deal. The contract is for two years and has an annual average value (AAV) of $3.2 million. This is good for Lohrei, as he looks to bounce back from a down year, and the Bruins keep one of their bigger youth pieces in the fold for the short-term.
Lohrei and Bruins Agree to a New Deal
When you break it down, bridge deals are not that uncommon. Furthermore, this gives Lohrei a chance to prove himself and continue his development at the NHL level. He is coming off a strange season with five goals and 33 points.
When workhorse and top power-play unit quarterback Charlie McAvoy went down with an injury, Lohrei stepped up on the power play and had 16 points. It was fluent, the puck movement was crisp, and Lohrei showed he can handle that responsibility.
Then, you look at the defensive side of things. Lohrei struggled at times in his own end. Not to mention, his minus-43 was the worst on the Bruins during the 2024-25 season. What this bridge deal helps provide is that the Bruins can see what they have more in him. This gives him the chance to prove himself and grow his game, and the best part is that he has the coach to help him succeed.
Growth Should Come for Lohrei
It is all about growth when it comes to Lohrei. He is the top defenseman prospect in the system, and you can argue he isn’t even a prospect anymore. Given the Bruins are headed into a new chapter, he is a key piece to the puzzle.
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The biggest key is going to be putting Lohrei in places to succeed. Given the major losses to McAvoy and also Hampus Lindholm, Lohrei was thrown into the fire and had to learn on the fly. But putting him on a pair with Andrew Peeke is not great for his development. Lohrei and Peeke accounted for 24.1 expected goals against when paired together and 34 goals against. Not ideal.
McAvoy had the luxury of learning from former captain Zdeno Chara, and Lohrei playing with McAvoy would be huge for his development and mentorship. Lohrei would thrive alongside McAvoy, and they would make a very dynamic pair. Giving him more leash and power-play opportunities could pay enormous dividends.
Time to Prove It
This is a good value deal for the Bruins and Lohrei. The contract is now out of the way, so now it is time to go out and prove yourself further. The Bruins brass gets to see what type of defenseman and player he is. New head coach Marco Sturm will have the task of putting him in a position to succeed, and the sky is the limit for the young player.
