Bruins select defenseman Mason Lohrei with the 58th overall pick

The Bruins had to wait a very, very long time to make their first pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

When that time arrived, they elected to go with a defenseman: Mason Lohrei, a 19-year-old, left-shot blue liner who spent last season with the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League.

It’s not terribly difficult to see why the Bruins were interested in the Wisconsin native: Lohrei is 6’ 4”, 194 pounds. SIZE!!!!

Interestingly (or predictably, depending on your level of cynicism), it appears that the Bruins kind of went off the board with this pick: per Elite Prospects, Lohrei was the 132nd-ranked North American skater in this draft class.

The Elite Prospects scouting report (linked above) cited Lohrei’s skills as a puck carrier and his wrist shot as notable attributes.

In speaking to the media via Zoom today, Lohrei offered a scouting report on himself:

“I’d consider myself a two-way defenseman, pretty skilled. I take a lot of pride in how I defend, how I defend the rush, how I defend in my own zone, shutting things down and making good breakout passes to the forwards. But then once that happens, then the fun stuff begins. I get to jump up in the play and get pucks back. Use my skill and then I see myself as – I can play in all situations. Five-on-five, power play, penalty kill, stuff like that. Start games, finish games. I think I’m just a pretty simple player overall. I like to try to control the game when I’m out there, and when I have the puck.”

Additionally, Lohrei has no intentions of being a slow, plodding, “dump and change” defenseman, at least if you look at the guys he wants to play like.

“[I] love watching a lot of the young guys in the league, a lot of the young defenseman, and just taking things from their game,” he said. “Guys I watch pretty much anytime they’re playing are Rasmus Dahlin, Quinn Hughes, Cale Makar...Travis Sanheim in Philadelphia. I like watching Charlie McAvoy, Mikhail Sergachev...all those guys, just taking little bits and pieces and trying to apply that to my game.”

Lohrei will turn 20 in January, and has committed to playing his college hockey at Ohio State.

Last season in the USHL, Lohrei had 8 goals and 29 assists in 48 games.

He was also an invitee at the Vegas Golden Knights’ development camp in the summer of 2019.

Interestingly, he noted today that his roommate in Green Bay is Nick Schmaltz, who the Bruins drafted last year. Small world!

A little analysis on his game:

Welcome to the organization, kid!