The Colorado Avalanche, like all contenders, as always, are on the lookout for ways to improve their clubs. Part of that philosophy is finding opportunities wherever they may lie.
That being said, there could be an opportunity in Boston that the Colorado Avalanche would do well to check in on. Specifically, we’re talking about young blueliner Mason Lohrei.
Lohrei has fallen on hard times in Boston as his game has cratered of late. He’s been a healthy scratch lately and reportedly on the trading block. The Bruins have not openly acknowledged this possibility, but the rumor mill continues to grind.
So, the Colorado Avalanche should do their due diligence and see if Lohrei is available. The 24-year-old is a former second-round pick from the 2020 NHL Draft. At 6’5” and 218 pounds, he immediately adds size and punch to any blueline.
The Avalanche could certainly use some more size and toughness. We saw that approach in waiver claim Ilya Solovyov earlier this season. Also, the Avs could use another prospect to the team’s roster.
The biggest question is where Lohrei could play in Colorado. The top pair is set with Devon Toews and Cale Makar. So, why not pair Lohrei with Josh Manson? Manson’s already a pretty tough customer. Pairing the two could make for an extremely tough shutdown pair that very few teams could match.
Alternatively, Lohrei playing with Sam Malinski could make for a different look on the bottom pairing. Lohrei and Malinski could take advantage of playing against the opposition’s bottom-six forwards, potentially wreaking havoc.
Ultimately, GM Chris MacFarland would be remiss not to kick the tires on Lohrei. He would lose nothing in doing so, while potentially scoring a huge deal.
Colorado Avalanche must be aware of Lohrei’s issues
The biggest issue with Lohrei has been his defensive play. Throughout this season, he’s been on the wrong end of several bad plays. Unfortunately for the Bruins, those bad plays have led to costly goals.
That’s something the Colorado Avalanche must be aware of. So, could that mean the Avalanche might be taking on a defensive liability with Lohrei? Partly, yes. But on the whole, it seems that Lohrei could just need an opportunity to push the reset button.
That reset button could come in the way of playing with an established veteran partner like Josh Manson. Now, some might argue that Lohrei played with Charlie McAvoy and didn’t fare very well. But there’s a big difference between Manson and McAvoy. McAvoy is an offensive defenseman who needs a solid defensive partner who could anchor the blue line while he wheels and deals.
That would be the case in Colorado. It’s not like Lohrei would be asked to take Toews’ place alongside Makar. With the Avalanche, Lohrei would have an opportunity to play a more laid-back role, crunching opponents with his size.
At the end of the day, adding Lohrei would be a worthwhile move depending on the asking price. As long as the Avalanche are not asked for an arm and a leg, giving this former high-end prospect a shot at a fresh start.