Mason Lohrei is latest Bruins player to respond from a Marco Sturm benching

"That's what we expect from him. That's what I'm looking for [with] him."

Mason Lohrei had a strong bounce-back game on Saturday against Toronto. Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP

November 10, 2025

4 minutes to read

Nikita Zadorov knows what Mason Lohrei went through over the last few weeks.

During his previous stops across the NHL landscape, the 30-year-old Zadorov has had to endure several stretches where he observed games from the press box.

One game spent on the outside looking in at the starting lineup is painful enough for any player designated as a healthy scratch.

In Lohrei’s case, it was five-straight games spent watching games from the ninth floor.

“It’s tough,” Zadorov said Monday of Lohrei’s long stint on the shelf. “I mean, it was really tough. I think for him, obviously, five games — it feels like it’s been a year, when you haven’t played a lot. I’ve been in the same situation with Calgary.

“I missed a six-game stretch at some point in my career. You’re just miserable. You don’t have any motivation to do anything … So I know how he felt, for sure.”

Lohrei’s struggles in the defensive zone prompted head coach Marco Sturm to pull him from the lineup.

Keeping him off the ice for over a week wasn’t exactly part of the plan, but Boston’s bench boss also wasn’t going to alter his lineup as the Bruins reeled off five wins in a row after replacing the 24-year-old Lohrei with Providence call-up Jonathan Aspirot.

On Saturday, Lohrei finally received an opportunity to bounce-back from his lengthy time on the pine.

With Charlie McAvoy out due to a personal matter for Boston’s road bout with the Maple Leafs, Lohrei drew back into the lineup at Scotiabank Arena — skating on a third pairing next to Aspirot.

And, in what has been a recurring trend so far this season, Lohrei was the latest Bruins skater to respond after seeing his spot in the lineup challenged by his head coach.

In a game where a shorthanded Bruins roster defeated Toronto, 5-3, Lohrei was one of Boston’s most-impactful skaters, recording two assists in his first game since Oct. 27.

“It’s a great response,” Zadorov said of Lohrei’s bounce-back showing. “It’s a tough league to be in. You have to contribute, especially on this team. There’s always guys fighting for these spots. There’s always young players. There’s always not much opportunity.

“So I think it was great to see him step in like that and have a really solid game in Toronto. That’s what we expect from him. That’s what I’m looking for [with] him. He’s a great player. We know how [many] offensive tools he’s got. As long as he ties it up defensively like he was in Toronto, he’s going to be in good shape.”

Lohrei’s strengths as a playmaking presence was put on display Saturday in Toronto.

After negating a scoring chance by Steven Lorentz in the opening period, Lohrei joined in on a counter-rush — setting up Morgan Geekie for Boston’s first tally of the evening just 3:30 into the game. He added another helper as part of the Bruins’ second power-play unit, posting a secondary assist on Mikey Eyssimont’s fourth goal of the season.

If at first you don't succeed… 🤓 pic.twitter.com/AGXlHbZgVl
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) November 9, 2025

The Bruins will welcome the offensive capabilities that Lohrei boasts from the blue line.

But, his spot in the lineup will only be secured if he continues to avoid putting himself in danger down the other end of the ice.

In his first 11 games of the season, Lohrei had been out on the ice for 10 goals allowed at 5-on-5 play.

But, on Saturday, the Bruins tilted the ice in their favor whenever Lohrei was out on a shift — with Boston outscoring Toronto, 2-0, and outshooting them, 7-2, in the Lohrei-Aspirot pairing’s 12:07 of 5-on-5 reps.

“Obviously you want to be in, but just go day-by-day and just get ready for your next opportunity,” Lohrei said Saturday. “It’s something I’ve been through before at every level. So, yeah — I guess I know the recipe.”

Lohrei is far from the only Bruins player who has answered the call after incurring Sturm’s wrath via a benching.

Prior to suffering a lower-body injury on Thursday against Ottawa, Casey Mittelstadt had posted seven points in nine games after getting scratched on Oct. 19 in Utah.

Marat Khusnutdinov has skated in a top-six role as of late after being shifted in and out of the lineup as a fourth-liner in October, while Johnny Beecher has provided a jolt when called on in a checking role.

For Zadorov, the Bruins’ track record of responding to adversity via Sturm’s lineup tweaks bodes well for a team that has already gone through its fair share of ups and downs through the first five weeks of the 2025-26 season.

“We all try to win. We’re all trying to do our jobs here,” Zadorov said. “Obviously, it’s up to the coaches to set the lineup and everything and motivate players. But I think accountability has been pretty high so far this year. I thought that’s what we were missing last year.

“So that’s definitely on the positive side. Just like I said, it’s a tough league to be in. Some days you’re playing in this league, some days you’re not, so you can’t take it for granted. You have to go up there and fight for your spot, and that’s what guys have been doing in here.”