Mailbag: Mason Lohrei, Matt Poitras, and piss and vinegar

To be featured in a future mailbag, submit questions on X @briandefelice_, @ThePuckUps, or email at info@puckups.com

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Thanks for the question, Ben!

I wouldn't be too quick to assume that Matt Poitras lacks piss and vinegar - it just depends on what your urban dictionary (hockey edition) definition of that is.

Piss and vinegar, in my opinion, simply means being hard to play against - which includes competing hard on pucks, checking with your feet, going to the hard areas of the ice, and yes body checking.

Matt Poitras will never be as physically imposing of a forward like Mark Kastelic or Tanner Jeannot - but can he play with the creativity, feistiness and jam of a Marat Khusnutdinov, or Viktor Arvidsson?

In my book, absolutely.

Now this isn't to say he can't improve in that arena - in fact I think he'll have to - but Poitras is a competitor on the ice despite his quiet nature off of it.

Lohrei is a bit more of a question mark for me in this department.

He doesn't need to be Nikita Zadorov physically, he doesn't even need to be that physical at all - he just needs to be more responsible and better defensively.

Piss and vinegar for Lohrei can simply mean winning races to loose pucks, taking hits to make plays, having strong body and stick position and moving pucks up the ice.

He needs to cut down and rid of the self inflicted mental errors that lead to turnovers.

With his skating, and offensive ability he would be a fine piece of Boston's blue line if he improves in his own end.

Now if a lack of piss and vinegar gets in the way of him being able to win foot races, taking hits to make plays, having strong body and stick position, and moving pucks up ice than sure, he won't be right for Boston long term.

San Jose, Anaheim, or Chicago wouldn't want that either.

Long term, if Lohrei doesn't show he can defend well enough at the NHL level - he'll have a tough time sticking anywhere.

Appreciate the thoughtful question as always, Kim!

Since submitting, Lohrei has now played three games in a row - starting in Toronto when Charlie McAvoy couldn't play for family reasons.

That game, Lohrei played with Jonathan Aspirot and to me was his most sound defensive game of the season.

Then for the next two games he was partnered with Henri Jokiharju - a pairing I've been advocating against putting together on recent episodes of the The Skate Pod.

They both are prone to defensive zone turnovers, and lose too many physical battles in the corners, and both behind and in front of their net.

They're simply too easy to play against and opposing forwards salivate at the chance to cave them in on the forecheck.

You are correct Kim in that while sitting in the press box can provide lessons and perspective, eventually one can't improve without playing time.

That said, playing time has to be earned and while Lohrei was great in his return he has been meh in the ensuing two games including Boston's most recent game in Ottawa where he and Jokiharju got exposed on the road as many anticipated.

In my opinion, Lohrei's best chance to succeed will be in a sheltered third pair role playing alongside Jonathan Aspirot rather than Jokiharju.

Aspirot is a strong skater, physical, plays a simple game, moves the puck and defends.

He could provide support for Lohrei in ways Jokiharju can't.

Meanwhile, Lohrei's skating, puck moving and offensive ability could benefit Aspirot.

They to me would be Boston's best third pair defense combo with current NHL roster players - the question is whether or not they'll scratch Jokiharju enough times to make Lohrei and Aspirot stick.

One of the reasons Jokiharju mainly stays in the lineup is because he's a right shot where as Lohrei and Aspirot are both left shots.

To me someone playing their offside isn't a big deal and in many areas of the ice can be actually be beneficial and preferred by players - especially through the neutral zone and into the offensive zone.

Aspirot playing with Lohrei is a preferred dynamic in my opinion we'll see what Sturm goes with Saturday night in Montreal.

Great observation, Arnold.

Yes, Marco Sturm does seem to have a great read on his players.

Moving Pastrnak around on the power play has absolutely been a positive development and one that i've been advocating for dating back to last season:

Now this is less of a Marco Sturm adjustment and more of a Steve Spott one but it's still under Sturm's leadership.

There are other examples of Sturm seeing a weakness and making changes to benefit.

He noticed that Charlie McAvoy wasn't capable of excelling with Lohrei so he rightfully placed him alongside Nikita Zadorov for what's been an excellent top pairing.

He realized that Casey Mittelstadt was struggling at center and moved him to wing where he had played better before being injured.

He realized that Pavel Zacha was being limited at wing and needed to switch him with Mittelstadt to give that line more size and stability up the middle.

Another one of Sturm's positive attributes is equally recognizing when a player is showing strengths and giving them the opportunity to expound upon them.

Marat Khusnutdinov has been playing on the top line with David Pastrnak and turned heads in the process. Earlier in the season Khusnutdinov was a healthy scratch but Sturm still said that he liked Khusnutdinov and i'm paraphrasing here - but that there was something there with him.

Mark Kastelic is another player who Sturm saw strengths in and has rewarded by putting him in new roles to see if he can thrive in - and he has.

Historically a 4th liner and even strength player - this year, Kastelic has been a routine penalty killer and promoted to third line minutes in recent weeks.

Nikita Zadorov is another player who has been recognized for his strengths, given an opportunity to be a top pair, physical shut down presence and has done a great job.