Specific to Poitras, coach Marco Sturm acknowledged that it complicated the 22-year-old\u2019s chances to make the 23-man roster.<\/p>\n
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\u201cYou want to deliver,\u201d noted Sturm, examining the complication from Poitras\u2019s viewpoint. \u201cYou want to prove to the coach, to the team, whatever, you name it. Then if you get one injury, with only a week to go, you are behind \u2014 that\u2019s hard on the kid, for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sturm added that Lohrei, 25, was faced with \u201cdoing some tests\u201d for his injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we\u2019ll probably have an update [Thursday],\u201d added Sturm.<\/p>\n
Headed into Thursday night\u2019s exhibition matchup with the Flyers<\/a> in Philadelphia, Sturm\u2019s top two lines during practice shaped up this way:<\/p>\n JJ Peterka-Elias Lindholm-David Pastrnak and Casey Mittlestadt-Pavel Zacha-Morgan Geekie.<\/p>\n Sturm has been adamant since the start of training camp<\/a> late last week that he will continue to adjust lines and defensive pairings. It\u2019s highly likely, however, that those six forwards will make up the top two lines \u2014 possibly with some minor tweaking \u2014 prior to puck drop Tuesday.<\/p>\n The bottom six group, where Poitras has been a candidate to filch a roster spot, looked like this in the workout:<\/p>\n James Hagens-Fraser Minten-Marat Khusnutdinov (the so-called Kid Line) and Alex Steeves-Sean Kuraly-Mark Kastelic.<\/p>\n It\u2019s less likely those two trios would remain intact, mainly because Sturm assuredly will want gritty left winger Tanner Jeannot in that bottom-six mix. Also, after watching versatile winger Mikey Eyssimont pot two goals in a 5-1 win over the Flyers<\/a>, Sturm could be hard pressed not to find the veteran a spot. Jeannot and Eyssimont were centered in the workout by rookie hopeful Dans Locmelis, who also has impressed the coaching staff during the short training camp.<\/p>\n On the back end, where franchise defenseman Charlie McAvoy will start the season sidelined by a six-game suspension, the workout had Nikita Zadorov paired with returnee Connor Clifton and Hampus Lindholm with newcomer Will Borgen (the former Ranger). That group most likely will comprise the top four on opening night.<\/p>\n If Lohrei remains sidelined, Sturm then has to cobble together another pairing from candidates Jonathan Aspirot, Jordan Harris, Frederic Brunet, and Jokiharju. The math gets tighter, and more complicated, once McAvoy is eligible for duty<\/a> Oct. 13 against the Sharks in San Jose, the start of a four-game road trip.<\/p>\n Brunet picked up a pair of assists against the Flyers, bolstering his chances of putting Providence in his career rearview mirror after spending three seasons with the AHL affiliate.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s been excellent \u2014 exactly what we were looking for,\u201d said Sturm. \u201cThere\u2019s still a ways to go, but we really liked the way he started camp from day one.\u201d<\/p>\n . . .<\/p>\n Eyssimont, 30, suited up for only 56 games last season (8-10\u201318) and then just two of the six playoff matchups vs the Sabres. He doesn\u2019t have to score goals to be an effective bottom-six asset, but all offensive contributions are welcome.<\/p>\n![\"At](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/OMYOYCLZJSNSZ4JSP7G24VZV44.jpg\")
At 25, Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei is an NHL veteran of 191 regular-season games and 14 in the playoffs.John Tlumacki\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n