The jury will be out for some time, but the early returns of the Boston Bruins 2020 draft class continue to generate positive momentum. A pair of college players, in particular, are making a positive impression around hockey for their strong starts to the 2021-22 campaign.
Providence College freshman Riley Duran was recently named Hockey East co-Rookie of the Week. Duran, a Woburn, Mass. native, put up 4 points for the Friars in helping his team go 4-0 last weekend. Selected in the sixth round out of Lawrence Academy, Duran spent the 2020-21 season in the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms and has been a net positive in his first NCAA season, tallying 5 goals and 11 points in 21 games on a veteran-laden club.
Though he was initially a surprise second-round pick, not many are surprised by Ohio State defenseman Mason Lohrei these days. A second-year draft-eligible, Lohrei was USHL defenseman of the year with the Green Bay Gamblers and has been even more impressive as a Buckeyes freshman, leading the team in scoring with 14 points in 16 games. His combination of size, skating, poise and production in the Big Ten Conference has made him one of the organization’s prized prospects.