BRIGHTON — Late in the season, Mason Lohrei admitted something to Charlie McAvoy.
“I was telling him the other day that every time I look up at the board and I see my name next to his, I gotta pinch myself still,” the Bruins rookie told his defense partner. “He’s such an incredible player and being able to play alongside him and you just watch from close. I’ve taken so much stuff from his game. He’s a top defenseman in the entire league, I’m lucky to have him.”
Fanatics Sportsbook
10X$100 BONUS BET
BET MATCH BONUS
Must be 21+. GAMBLING PROBLEM? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (CO, KY ,MD, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV); (888) 789-7777 or ccpg.org (CT); 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA); (800) 327-5050 or gamblinghelpline.org (MA), mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1800gambler.net (WV)
Lohrei admitted too that he was thrilled when Brad Marchand specifically mentioned him as one of the reasons the Bruins’ future was bright.
“Honestly I can’t even put it into words. For him to mention my name. It’s pretty special,” Lohrei said. “It’s a guy that I look up to a lot. He’s a guy that you want to go out there every night and compete for.”
Hampus Lindholm doesn’t want Lohrei thinking like that anymore.
Learning from McAvoy is good, but the time for being star struck is over. After praising his young teammate, Lindholm challenged him to look at his teammates and everyone else in the NHL as his peers and to expect to be great.
“Don’t act like you’re a young guy. Go home and act like you want to come back and be a difference-maker. You want to be one of the leaders. Then we’re all leading here together,” Lindholm said. “Go home and just act like you’re going to come back here and be the best player for us.”
McAvoy’s phrasing was different, but his overall point was the same.
“The sky is the limit for him,” he said. “I think that he’s gonna be an incredible hockey player. He already is and I can’t wait to see the strides that he takes. … I’m so proud of him. I had a great time playing with him. He works extremely hard. I look forward to the relationship that we’re gonna build.”
Lohrei spent the year, his first full one as a professional, going back and forth between Boston and Providence. He seemingly improved each time he was called up, peaking in the playoffs, when he was one of the Bruins’ best defensemen.
Among his goals as he started the summer was to put the AHL behind him for good.
“It’s always been my goal to be an everyday NHL player. Obviously, I’m a lot further now than I was eight months ago,” said Lohrei, who planned to use the summer to add muscle to his 6-foot-5 frame and get quicker. “I want be able to press hard and be able to go out there and hold my own and try and be physical out in front of that and win battles and stuff.”
That was all part of a larger goal, one that aligns with LIndholm’s expectations.
“I wanna be great. I want to win the Stanley Cup. I wanna be a top defenseman in the league,” he said. “It’s just the way I think. Just keep working and showing up every day and do my best to make that happen.”
