The Boston Bruins have a real logjam on the blue line, and Mason Lohrei might be the odd man out.
Boston currently has ten NHL-caliber defensemen ticketed for camp, a group that only got more crowded after signing Connor Clifton and Jordan Harris in free agency.
Adding William Borgen in a trade with the New York Rangers pushed Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov and Borgen into clear mainstay roles on the depth chart.
McAvoy still put up 61 points in 69 games this season, though a six-game suspension will keep him out to start the year in October.
Lindholm added 26 points in 67 games, while Zadorov chipped in 22 points in 81 games, giving Boston a deep but crowded group on the back end.
GM Don Sweeney addressed the situation directly, saying flexibility remains the priority and that a trade opportunity would get real consideration if one presented itself.
Inside Don Sweeney's plan to stay flexible up front
Puck Pedia lists Boston with $5,390,000 in cap space after free agency, enough room to operate but not enough for a major in-season addition.
Mason Lohrei carries a $3,200,000 cap hit with one year left before restricted free agency, making him the kind of affordable, productive piece other teams would want.
Lohrei put up 26 points in 73 games this season, while Henri Jokiharju managed just 13 points in 41 games at a $3,000,000 cap hit, giving Sweeney two very different trade profiles.
Moving a defenseman for scoring help makes sense on paper with this much depth, but parting with a cost-controlled piece like Lohrei could look very different a year from now.
Between the numbers and Sweeney's own words about staying flexible, a trade sending a defenseman out for offense feels like a real possibility.
Should the Bruins trade Mason Lohrei to add scoring help up front?
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