SUNRISE, Fla. — Before going under the knife, Derek Forbort became a prime target of scrutiny from some of the fanbase.
Working through a nagging lower-body injury, Forbort’s defensive production took a nosedive during his third season in Boston. Upon returning from his first absence out of the lineup, Forbort saw himself on the ice for multiple goals against at 5v5 and the penalty kill.
His reliability in front of the net and stout shorthanded production became sore spots as the Bruins struggled with their net-front coverage and game-management mishaps coming out of the All-Star Break. On March 8, the struggling Forbort opted for surgery to repair his lower-body ailment.