Bruins

“It is a huge testament to him and his character and his perseverance that he’s back here.”

SUNRISE, Fla. — Derek Forbort’s stat line — much like his play out on the frozen sheet — was far from flashy on Monday night. 

The 32-year-old defenseman recorded 18:03 of ice time in Boston’s Game 1 win, landing six hits and blocking two shots while helping Boston’s penalty kill post a perfect 3-for-3 showing against Florida. 

It was an impressive re-entry for Forbort, who last logged a shift on March 2. It’s already a daunting hurdle for any player to reassert themselves into the controlled chaos of playoff hockey after spending time on the shelf. 

But it’s another feat entirely for Forbort, whose season was all but put on ice just eight weeks ago. 

“I kept telling him all night that he’s an absolute warrior,” Brandon Carlo said of Forbort’s play on Monday. “The way that he came in and handled himself throughout that game, mentally and physically, was very impressive. Coming back into a regular season game when you’ve missed that much time is hard. 

“Coming back into the playoffs is a whole different animal and I’m so proud of the way that he handled himself tonight. I thought he played fantastic and did his job very well. He’s a great addition to have back  for certain aspects of the game, and I have a lot of respect for him and in his game.” 

The 2023-24 regular season was a grind for Forbort, with several nagging injuries hampering his no-frills, D-zone fortitude and limiting him to just 35 games. A nagging lower-body injury plagued him since the fall, with another lower-body during the new year serving as the proverbial nail in the coffin for his third season in Boston.

On the same day that the Bruins traded for another stay-at-home defenseman in Andrew Peeke, Don Sweeney acknowledged that Forbort’s season was likely done, especially with surgery on the horizon. 

“People should realize that Derek has been playing through two significant injuries,” Sweeney noted on March 8. “One for sure is requiring surgery, and the other is one that quite possibly could. So real kudos, and testament to the character of Derek wanting to be that ultimate team player and play through some significant pain and injuries. … It got to a point where it was not feasible for him to continue to play.” 

But after going under the knife to correct some of his injuries, Forbort surpassed any of the established recovery timelines mapped out by his doctors — returning to the ice just a few weeks after his procedure. 

“The timeline we got from the surgeons was longer than we got here. What do they know?” Forbort said on April 22. 

Slotting into Monday’s lineup as part of a heftier roster configuration for Boston, Forbort made the simple, smart plays needed to counter Florida’s forechecking pressure — while also matching the Panthers’ physicality all over the ice. 

“Forbort looked really confident,” Jim Montgomery noted postgame. “He was moving really well. The best we’ve seen him move probably before his leg injury last January. So that was a pleasant surprise and really happy for the young man because he’s worked really hard. And he’s wanted to get back to wear the Spoked-B.”

Forbort’s return and strong play on Monday should further bolster a Bruins D corps that suddenly has an abundance of riches when it comes to personnel.

Peeke’s expected return in this second-round series should add more heft to the blue line, while Mason Lohrei has likely entrenched himself into the lineup thanks to his playmaking poise. 

Forbort’s knack for eating up pucks and playing taxing minutes should come in handy during this playoff push, be it as a steady contributor as the next man up if more injuries arise. 

But regardless of how Forbort is deployed the rest of the way, his presence alone has provided a significant lift to the Bruins — especially considering where he was just a few months ago. 

“He’s been working really hard behind the scenes,” Charlie McAvoy said of Forbort. “And obviously — I’m not even sure what has made it public as far as what he’s had to deal with in the last month and a half, two months. So, to be vague, it was a lot. And it is a huge testament to him and his character and his perseverance that he’s back here.”