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The Boston Bruins offer for impending UFA Rasmus Andersson has been revealed, raising more then a few eyebrows.
The Boston Bruins currently find themselves holding a playoff spot, but lacking the sort of certitude needed to sleep easily at night. The Bruins are one point up on the Toronto Maple Leafs for the first wild card spot, with about four other teams nipping at their heels.
That situation has prompted Bruins’ GM Don Sweeney to provide major upgrades to his lineup. One such upgrade is on the blue line. Said improvement could come in the way of Calgary Flames’ impending UFA Rasmus Andersson.
Now, this rumor comes with a grain of salt. Just about everyone and their grandma has been linked to Andersson. But it seems the three top players come down to Atlantic Division teams: the Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, and Ottawa Senators, per a rumor piece published by RG Media on January 14.
But beyond kicking the tires on Andersson, veteran journalist James Murphy revealed the offer on the table from the Bruins. An anonymous source close to the situation told Murphy:
“The Bruins made an offer. I’m hearing that Mason Lohrei and the Bruins’ first-round pick are in play.”
Murphy added that multiple sources confirmed that Lohrei’s name has been on the market since around last year’s draft. Moreover, Murphy stated that another source had confirmed that Lohrei’s name has been part of talks between the Flames and Bruins.
The nameless source added:
“I heard Lohrei recently and then, too. I was also told a first-round pick would be involved.”
It’s hard to envisage that just two pieces would go back for Andersson. So, it’s safe to speculate that other pieces may be part of the final deal.
Bruins First-Rounder Remains a Mystery
The source stated that the Bruins have included a first-round pick in their offer. Presumably, that would be a 2026 first-round pick. Boston has two of those.
The Bruins have their own pick, plus the one they acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Brandon Carlo trade last spring. According to Tankathon, the Bruins’ own pick would come in at 14 with the Maple Leafs’ at 16.
It’s unclear whether the Bruins have pledged their own or the Maple Leafs’ pick. Tankathon shows the Flames picking third overall, behind the Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets. So, another mid-first-rounder could boost the Flames’ chances of adding more valuable players moving forward.
Lohrei May Not Be Enough to Move Needle in Calgary
It makes sense from the Bruins’ perspective to move Mason Lohrei. He’s a washed-out prospect in Boston. Lohrei got his chance to solidify his spot in Boston’s lineup. However, he just wasn’t able to make the next step.
Even when put on the third defensive pairing, Lohrei’s questionable defensive play pushed him out of the lineup entirely.
So, it would be interesting to see if Lohrei really moves the needle for the Flames. There’s a pretty good chance the Bruins will need to do more to pique the Flames’ interest. Unless Calgary sees something in Lohrei that Boston doesn’t, it might be a tall order to consider Lohrei as a potential replacement for Rasmus Andersson.
Nestor Quixtan Seasoned NHL analyst and baseball writer focused on covering clubs across each league with news, analysis, and insights. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Nestor’s singular experiences and background have enabled him to bring a different take on the sports world as a whole. Nestor’s fondness for baseball and hockey set the tone for his love and passion for writing about sports. More about Nestor Quixtan
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