Bruins assign 2 rookies to Providence with reinforcements arriving on blue line

Brandon Carlo, Derek Forbort, Linus Ullmark, and Matt Poitras will all return to the lineup for Boston on Saturday.

Johnny Beecher was sent to Providence on Saturday. David Zalubowski/AP Photo

January 20, 2024

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With Brandon Carlo and Derek Forbort expected to return to the ice Saturday night against the Canadiens, the Bruins reshuffled their roster hours ahead of puck drop.

Boston added both Carlo and Forbort to the active roster Saturday, with the team sending rookies Mason Lohrei and Johnny Beecher to the Providence Bruins in a corresponding move.

Saturday will mark Forbort’s first game since Dec. 3, with the veteran blueliner spending the last six weeks on long-term injured reserve due to a nagging lower-body injury.

Carlo has missed the last five games after suffering a concussion during Boston’s shootout loss to the Avalanche on Jan. 8. Along with Lohrei’s AHL assignment, Parker Wotherspoon will sit out Saturday with Carlo and Forbort available.

Saturday’s matchup against the Habs will see several other key contributors back in the lineup for Boston. Linus Ullmark will get the start in net, with the reigning Vezina Trophy winner playing for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury during Boston’s overtime loss to the Coyotes on Jan. 9.

Rookie Matt Poitras will also make his first appearance since Jan. 9, with the center missing the last four games after suffering a shoulder injury in Arizona. Oskar Steen will be the odd man out up front for Boston on Saturday.

The writing was on the wall that Lohrei would likely be on his way back to the AHL ranks once Forbort and Carlo were cleared to return. Despite his puck-moving skillset, Lohrei should benefit from the heavy minutes and featured power-play reps available to him against AHL competition.

The most pressing need for the young blueliner is shoring up his D-zone play. In Lohrei’s 407:58 of 5v5 ice time this season, the Bruins have been outscored, 21-16.

Beecher’s AHL assignment is a bit more surprising, even though the rookie centerman has slotted in and out of the lineup as of late. Even though Beecher has cooled off offensively (one goal, two points in his last 18 games), he’s largely held his own under some taxing defensive minutes.

Despite having just 12.12 percent of his starts at 5v5 play begin in the offensive zone, the Bruins have only been outscored, 13-11, during Beecher’s 5v5 reps — while his 53.9 faceoff percentage ranks second on the Bruins behind Pavel Zacha (54 percent).

Ultimately, the decision to send Beecher and Lohrei down to Providence might have come down to the waiver wire. Both Beecher and Lohrei are exempt from waivers if Boston sends them to the AHL, which wouldn’t be the case if the Bruins pulled a similar roster move with Steen or Jakub Lauko.