Mason Lohrei's name has been in trade talks for the better part of two seasons, as the left-shot defender has shown flashes of brilliance but not enough sustained success to justify him being an untradeable asset for the Boston Bruins. After some healthy scratches this past season under new coach Marco Sturm, it's clear that the grace he was given by Jim Montgomery, who liked the defenseman, isn't there anymore.
While it feels like Lohrei is going to be a trade piece throughout the offseason, the recent rumor that the Bruins are trying to acquire a late-first or early-second round pick for the defenseman makes me think that the front office might be overvaluing him a bit around the league. If that is the case, there is a chance that Lohrei will still be in Boston when training camp opens.
The Bruins are going to need to get creative to shake things up for next season, and if Don Sweeney can't find a deal for Lohrei, there are three players that could be more likely to find a new home this offseason.
Matthew Poitras
Matthew Poitras and Lohrei's names were heavily linked to trade rumors during the deadline. While Lohrei's struggles in Boston might be giving him mixed reviews around the league in terms of his value, the book is still out on Poitras. His time in Boston has been good for the most part, and now, rounding out his game in Providence could convince another team that he is worthy of a fresh start with their organization.
If the Bruins are looking to add to their blueline and not trade out too many assets, Poitras feels like he could be the piece going the other way in a type of swap where two young players switch teams in search of a fresh start.
Pavel Zacha
It would hurt to see Pavel Zacha leave the Bruins, as he has been a good player ever since coming over from the New Jersey Devils, and he was the type of player that everyone would've wanted to see work out in a Bruins uniform.
The sad truth is that he was never able to turn himself into the productive top-six center that most thought he would be, and if Sweeney is going to have to give him a massive raise on his next contract, the front office might be better off accruing some assets and moving on.
Joonas Korpisalo
While the Bruins might not have any designs on making this move, it might be more of a wish for fans that Joonas Korpisalo will switch teams this offseason. After seeing Brandon Bussi's success after leaving Boston, it'd be tough to see Michael DiPietro go down the same path after leaving Boston. If the Bruins don't trade Korpisalo this offseason, it'll be a battle for the backup position in training camp.
If Korpisalo wins that battle, the likelihood of DiPietro passing through waivers again is slim. In that case, Boston's best bet is to either trade Korpisalo, trade DiPietro, or choose the AHL's reigning MVP as the backup and eat the cost of sending last season's backup to the minors.
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