Former Boston Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy was never shy about benching a player or sending a message through the media. It was something he was good at, and generally, the results were good.
Now 14 games into his tenure as head coach of the Bruins, Marco Sturm is quietly following that blueprint. Earlier this year, he scratched forwards Casey Mittlestadt and Marat Khusnutdinov, and the results were positive. Mittlestadt responded with some much-needed production, while Khusnutdinov has been elevated to the first line. He scored his first goal of the season on Thursday night in an overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres.
Next in line of healthy scratches is young defenseman Mason Lohrei, who missed Saturday's 2-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes for his third straight scratch. Sturm spoke about it and sent the former Ohio State blueliner a message.
Bruins coach Marco Strum sends Mason Lohrei a message
Before the Black and Gold's win over the Hurricanes, Sturm spoke with the media and explained Lohrei's scratch for a third straight contest.
“He should be pissed. He should be very pissed. He should be upset,” said Sturm. “He works hard in practice. He’s ready, he’s just waiting for his opportunities. I think that’s the goal, having him out there and be a little different when he comes back. Watching from upstairs, watching some other players, what they do well, what they do wrong, too. It’s a learning process for him right now, and that’s why we do it. But when it’s his turn, we’re hoping he gets better.”
While missing a third straight game for Lohrei is less than ideal, you can't argue with the results that the Bruins have had over that stretch. The six-man group that has played in the last three games has played well enough to win three in a row. Has it been perfect? No, as Joonas Korpisalo and Jeremy Swayman have come up big the last three games, but for this Boston team, a win is a win in 2025-26.
Sturm is hoping that Lohrei can respond like Mittlestadt and Khusnutdinov did when he returns. Now the only issue will be, who does he get paired with, as playing with Charlie McAvoy was nothing short of a disaster. That will work itself out once Sturm gives him the green light to return to the lineup.