Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Derek Forbort

Canucks Sign Jake DeBrusk, Four Others

at CDT | by 13 Comments

The Canucks have signed forward Jake DeBrusk to a seven-year deal with a $5.5MM cap hit, the team announced. They’re also bringing in depth winger Kiefer Sherwood on a two-year deal worth $1.5MM annually. Continuing to add to their forward core, the team also announced a two-year, $4.5MM contract for Danton Heinen. Switching over the blue line, the team has announced a one-year, $1.5MM contract with defenseman Derek Forbort. They later brought in center Nathan Smith on a one-year deal, per CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal.

DeBrusk has a no-move clause for the first three years of his contract, per TSN’s Ryan Rishaug. It converts to a 15-team no-trade clause for the remainder of the deal. The full breakdown of the deal can be found via PuckPedia.

DeBrusk is finally moving on from the Boston Bruins, after spending much of the last three seasons surrounded by trade rumors. He’s found his scoring groove in that stretch, kicked off by a strong 25 goals and 42 points in 2021-22. DeBrusk followed that up with a career-high 50 points, while tying his high of 27 goals, and then posted 40 points this year. The performances have left a strong hint of upside left untouched in DeBrusk, who should be poised for a prime position in Vancouver’s top-nine after Elias Lindholm’s signing in Boston. It will be DeBrusk’s first NHL experience outside of Boston, having recorded all 266 points and 465 games of his career with the Bruins.

He’ll be flanked by a trio of depth forwards in Heinen, Sherwood, and Smith. Of the bunch, it’s Heinen who’s earned the most recent acclaim, having posted 17 goals and 36 points with the Bruins this season. It was a standout year after Heinen managed just 22 points last season – painting him as an inconsistent but serviceable third-line winger. That’s exactly the role he’ll be asked to fill, in place of Ilya Mikheyev, who was moved to the Chicago Blackhawks. Sherwood should also earn a role in the wake of that trade, with a breakout 10 goals and 27 points this year putting him in a good position to fill Sam Lafferty’s role on Vancouver’s bottom line. He’ll face competition from a long list of Canucks prospects, as well as from Smith – who spent last year posting 31 points in 60 games with the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners.

Finally, Forbort will provide the stout veteran presence on the blue-line left by Ian Cole. Forbort, also moving over from Boston, has signed a one-year, $1.5MM deal with the Canucks – following a meager four assists in 35 games this season. He faced injuries for much of the year, though, and still found a way to make serviceable defensive impacts when he stepped into the lineup. He’ll be exactly what the doctor ordered for a Canucks team in need of firm defensive depth.

Atlantic Notes: Senators Coaching Staff, Canadiens, Forbort

at CDT | by 1 Comment

On his 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman confirmed earlier reports about the Ottawa Senators coaching staff. Friedman said that former Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson is expected to remain as an assistant coach behind Ottawa’s bench, as will Ben Sexton. Friedman also went on to say that former head coach Mike Yeo and former NHLer Nolan Baumgartner are also expected to join the Senators staff.

Friedman’s confirmation follows several previous reports about the Senators and likely signals that Ottawa is close to finalizing new head coach Travis Green’s coaching staff. The group will have their work cut out for them as the Senators have struggled to play with much structure in recent seasons despite boasting some very talented young players. Ottawa hasn’t made the playoffs since 2017 and has been mired in a rebuild for the better part of the past decade.

In other Atlantic Division notes:

  • David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period is reporting that the Montreal Canadiens could be buyers once again at this year’s NHL entry draft. Montreal has been a buyer at the two previous drafts and has reportedly made the draft a priority over making trades. Montreal is currently holding the fifth-overall pick as well as the 26th overall pick and Pagnotta wonders if the Canadiens may look to move the later pick as part of a package to acquire a young proven scorer. The Canadiens have several good young scorers in their lineup but would do well to add another scoring forward to their ranks to better balance their offensive attack.
  • Boston Bruins defenseman Derek Forbort is reportedly headed to the free agent market on July 1st (as per David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period). The former 15th overall pick spent a great deal of the season on long-term injured reserve and was limited to just 35 games. The 32-year-old has never offered much offense from the backend, topping out at 18 points with the Los Angeles Kings in 2017 and 2018, but he is a big body and can still skate. Forbort will have suitors in free agency, particularly from teams that are looking for a depth defenseman who isn’t afraid to engage the opponent physically.

Bruins Unlikely To Retain Pending UFA Defensemen

at CDT | by 6 Comments

The Bruins’ elimination in six games at the hands of the Panthers in the second round can hardly be called surprising. Much like last season, although to a lesser degree, the team overperformed in the standings on the backs of goaltenders Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark, who again both finished in the top 10 of the league-wide goals saved above expected leaderboard. A lack of game-breaking offense outside of captain Brad Marchand and winger David Pastrňák meant they scored just seven goals in Games 2 through 6 against Florida, making it five straight playoff appearances without multiple series wins.

Now, attention turns toward general manager Don Sweeney and how he may tinker with the retooling roster to extend their playoff window. To that end, he’s likely to let their trio of pending unrestricted free agent defensemen in Derek Forbort, Matt Grzelcyk and Kevin Shattenkirk hit the open market on July 1, writes The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa.

All three players are wrapping up seven-figure cap hit deals, but none were regulars in this postseason. Forbort returned from a lengthy undisclosed injury midway through the first round against the Maple Leafs but was scratched for six out of Boston’s final nine playoff games after being recalled from a conditioning stint to AHL Providence and activated from long-term injured reserve.

Grzelcyk last played in Game 5 against Toronto and was scratched for seven straight to end the season, while Shattenkirk saw the most playoff action of the threesome with six appearances, all against Toronto. Like Grzelcyk, he was scratched for the entirety of the Florida series.

Other pending UFA Bruins unlikely to receive an extension include veteran winger James van Riemsdyk, Shinzawa said. Wingers Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen and Pat Maroon all earned a slightly more favorable “maybe” chance of returning compared to the others’ “very low.”

The willingness to part ways with all three is a strong sign that Boston expects Mason Lohrei and Parker Wotherspoon to be everyday players in 2024-25. Lohrei, 23, is likely slated for top-four duties and could replace the role that Grzelcyk held alongside Charlie McAvoy for much of the last few seasons. The 2020 second-round pick is the organization’s top developing defenseman and impressed in his rookie season, notching 13 points in 41 games with a -2 rating. He didn’t look out of place in playoff action, either, with four points in 11 games while seeing his average ice time creep north of 17 minutes.

Wotherspoon, meanwhile, also played a larger-than-expected role in the regular season after being signed for AHL depth last summer. The 26-year-old had strong possession metrics (47.0 CF%, 52.3 xGF% at even strength) while adding eight assists in 41 contests, proving he can comfortably shoulder everyday bottom-pairing usage. The acquisition of Andrew Peeke from the Blue Jackets at the trade deadline, who has two seasons remaining on his contract at a $2.75MM cap hit, also filled out a guaranteed spot on next year’s blue line.

As such, don’t expect many moves from Sweeney to alter his group of defensemen. That leaves Boston with a decently comfortable $20.9MM in cap space this summer to re-sign pending restricted free agents Swayman and Jesper Boqvist, per CapFriendly. They’ll use the remainder to fill out three to four forward spots and find a cheap deal for a seventh defenseman. Opting to trade Ullmark (one season left at a $5MM cap hit) for a cheaper complement to Swayman longer-term could allow Boston to make a greater splash on the UFA forward market as well.

Eastern Notes: Forbort, Devils, Maple Leafs

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Boston Bruins defenseman Derek Forbort returned tonight for Boston taking Kevin Shattenkirk’s spot in the lineup. The 32-year-old Forbort was recalled two weeks ago from an LTI conditioning loan in which he played two AHL games and hasn’t played an NHL game since March 2nd due to an undisclosed injury.

The Duluth, Minnesota native posted four assists in 35 games with the Bruins this season, his third year with the team since signing a three-year deal as an unrestricted free agent in July 2021. The former first-round pick won’t put up much offense from the backend but will add a physical element for the Bruins, something that they are sure to need when they take on the Florida Panthers in the second round.

In other Eastern Conference notes:

  • Jonathan Bailey of New Jersey Hockey Now is reporting that the New Jersey Devils had detailed talks with former Stanley Cup champion head coach Craig Berube regarding the Devil’s head coaching vacancy. The 58-year-old Berube won the Stanley Cup with the Blues during his first season behind the bench in 2019 and was fired this past December after a 13-14-1 to start the season. He previously coached the Philadelphia Flyers for two seasons before an extended run in the AHL. The Devils also reportedly engaged in conversations with former Kings bench boss Todd McLellan.
  • David Alter of The Hockey News is reporting that the Maple Leafs Sports And Entertainment President Keith Pelley, Toronto Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan, and general manager Brad Treliving will now speak with the media on Friday instead of Thursday. While the scheduling change is a minor time and date change, it is sure to create additional speculation about what the Maple Leafs will do this summer. The Maple Leafs have won just a single playoff series since Shanahan took over the team back in April 2014, and have had three different general managers and two head coaches during that time. There is no indication as to what will be said during Friday’s press conference, but speculation is sure to heat up over the next 72 hours.

Bruins Activate Derek Forbort From LTIR

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Bruins removed defenseman Derek Forbort from long-term injured reserve yesterday, per CapFriendly. He didn’t suit up in Boston’s Game 4 win but is now officially an option for the rest of the series.

Forbort, 32, missed much of the season with a lower-body injury that had lingered since October. The Bruins shut him down semi-permanently at the trade deadline, announcing he’d be out for the rest of the regular season and was moved to LTIR to give them some additional cap space, used to acquire Pat Maroon from the Wild and Andrew Peeke from the Blue Jackets. His last NHL game was a 5-1 loss to the Islanders on March 2.

He made only 35 appearances in the regular season, his fewest since 2019-20. He also failed to score a goal for the first time since that season but contributed four assists and a +8 rating while averaging 17:48 per game.

Boston brought Forbort in on a three-year, $9MM contract in free agency in 2021 that’s expiring this offseason. He started his tenure in Boston as an above-average shutdown defender, controlling 53.1% of expected goals when on the ice in 2021-22, per Hockey Reference. He remained one of their top penalty killers throughout, but his even-strength role slowly dwindled over the life of the deal, as did his possession metrics.

If Forbort is called upon for playoff action, he won’t come in completely cold. He posted a -1 rating in two appearances with AHL Providence on a recent conditioning stint that ended last week. The 2010 first-round pick of the Kings has played in all 14 Boston playoff games in 2022 and 2023, posting two assists and a -2 rating while averaging 16:54 per game.

Atlantic Notes: Sabres, True, Forbort, Brazeau

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Sabres dealt from their center depth at the trade deadline, moving Casey Mittelstadt to Colorado for Bowen Byram.  Now it appears that they’ll be on the hunt for more help down the middle as David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period relays that Buffalo will be looking for a reliable two-way third-line center next season.  Internally, they were hoping that Peyton Krebs would have some success in that role but he struggled this season, notching just 17 points in 80 games.  Zemgus Girgensons has played down the middle regularly in the past but is a pending UFA and better suited for a spot on the fourth line so it makes sense that GM Kevyn Adams will be looking outside the organization to try to fill that spot.

More from the Atlantic:

  • Panthers minor leaguer Alexander True is expected to sign with Modo of the SHL next season, report SportExpressen’s Johan Svensson and Adam Johansson. The 26-year-old was once viewed as a possible part of San Jose’s plans but moved on after four years with the organization and hasn’t seen NHL action since 2021-22.  True, who has five assists in 27 career NHL appearances, has spent the full season with AHL Charlotte, notching 19 points in 55 regular season games.  A pending restricted free agent, it looks like he has decided to try his hand elsewhere instead of sticking around for another year in the minors.
  • Bruins defenseman Derek Forbort and winger Justin Brazeau both skated with the team today as they work their way back from their respective injuries but aren’t expected to play on Saturday, notes Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald. Forbort is believed to be a little ahead of Brazeau in terms of their potential game readiness so it’s possible that Boston could have another option available to them on their back end at some point this round.  Forbort was limited to just 35 games this season where he had four assists while Brazeau picked up five goals and two helpers in just 19 appearances after having his contract converted to an NHL deal back in February.

East Notes: Pageau, Nylander, Forbort, Jensen, Sandin, Iorio

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Islanders expect veteran center Jean-Gabriel Pageau back tonight as they try and even their first-round series against the Hurricanes at one apiece. He practiced today and took line rushes in his usual third-line role, per NHL.com’s Stefen Rosner. After missing Game 1 with a lower-body injury sustained early in the final game of the regular season, the 31-year-old will center a line with captain Anders Lee and Pierre Engvall. Winger Hudson Fasching is projected to come out of the lineup after riding shotgun with Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri on the second line on Saturday, while 22-year-old Simon Holmström will be reinstated into the top-six on his natural wing after suiting up at center over the weekend. Center Kyle MacLean, who scored the Isles’ only goal in the 3-1 loss, slides down to fourth-line duties with Pageau returning. The Ottawa native had 11 goals and 33 points in the regular season, skating in all 82 games.

Other updates ahead of a pair of Game 2s in the East tonight:

  • Maple Leafs winger William Nylander took a big step toward returning from an undisclosed injury today, participating in practice after participating in an optional skate yesterday. However, he didn’t take line rushes and will be a game-time decision against the Bruins tonight, head coach Sheldon Keefe said (via ESPN’s Kristen Shilton). If Nylander can’t go, no lineup changes are coming for Toronto, which dropped Game 1 Saturday 5-1 despite outshooting Boston 36-25. He skated nearly an hour today, a good sign for his availability when the series shifts back to Toronto for Game 3 on Wednesday.
  • The Bruins brought defenseman Derek Forbort back from his LTI conditioning loan to AHL Providence this morning, but he won’t be coming off long-term injured reserve just yet. Head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters today that the veteran isn’t an option for tonight’s contest but will travel with Boston north of the border (via The Boston Globe’s Conor Ryan). Even if healthy, it’s unclear whether he’ll draw into the lineup ahead of Andrew Peeke or Kevin Shattenkirk on the Bruins’ bottom pairing.
  • Capitals defensemen Nick Jensen and Rasmus Sandin remain in non-contact jerseys in today’s practice, NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti reports. It’s not a good sign for the pair’s availability for Game 2 against the Rangers tomorrow. Both have been sidelined for at least a few games with upper-body injuries, and the Caps have already been forced to dip deep into their defensive well by playing rookie Vincent Iorio and farmhand Dylan McIlrath in Game 1’s 4-1 loss. Iorio left that game with an injury as well, which may force yet another player from AHL Hershey to suit up in postseason action for Washington. He’s now listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury and is questionable to play tomorrow, head coach Spencer Carbery said.

Bruins Recall Derek Forbort From LTI Conditioning Loan

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Bruins have recalled veteran defenseman Derek Forbort from his LTI conditioning loan to AHL Providence, per the minor league’s transactions log. Boston hasn’t yet taken Forbort off long-term injured reserve, but after he played in two games with the P-Bruins without incident, they likely will ahead of tonight’s Game 2 against the Maple Leafs.

That’s not necessarily an indication that he’ll return to the lineup, though – Boston has gotten good advanced results from their current bottom-pairing rotation of Andrew Peeke, Kevin Shattenkirk and Parker Wotherspoon since the trade deadline. Forbort’s season has been marred by a lingering lower-body injury, which has kept him out of the NHL lineup since March 2. He was limited to four assists in 35 games throughout the campaign, his lowest total since the 2019-20 season.

Forbort largely provided decent value for the Bruins across the first two seasons of his three-year, $9MM contract, though. A competent penalty killer, Forbort totaled 26 points and a +14 rating in 130 games for Boston between 2021-22 and 2022-23 while averaging nearly 18 minutes per game. His possession metrics were okay, given his shutdown role at even strength, especially in his inaugural season.

That continued in 2023-24. He didn’t control raw shot attempts at 5-on-5, logging a 45.0 CF%, but managed to limit the quality of chances against quite well with a 52.7 xGF%, per Natural Stat Trick. If his services are needed during the postseason, there are certainly worse options to toss into a playoff lineup.

With the emergence of the younger Wotherspoon and the acquisition of Peeke, though, Forbort will likely head to the open market in a few months. The 32-year-old pending UFA has nine years and 496 games of NHL experience with the Bruins, Flames, Jets and Kings.

Bruins Recall Jayson Megna; Reassign John Beecher, Derek Forbort

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Bruins announced a flurry of transactions Tuesday prior to their final game of the regular season against the Senators. Forward Jayson Megna has been recalled from AHL Providence for the first time this season, while center John Beecher was returned to the minors. Defenseman Derek Forbort was also assigned to Providence on an LTI conditioning loan as he works his way back from an undisclosed injury that’s kept him out since the trade deadline.

Megna, 34, hasn’t suited up in an NHL game in over a year, last skating on April 9, 2023, as a member of the Ducks. He’s spent the entire season with Providence after signing a two-way deal with the Bruins over the summer and clearing waivers during training camp. The Fort Lauderdale native has again produced at a high-end level in the minors, ranking third on the P-Bruins in scoring with 51 points (18 goals, 33 assists) in 67 games.

The University of Nebraska-Omaha product has been a reliable tweener forward for more than a few organizations, suiting up in over 200 NHL games for the Avalanche, Canucks, Ducks, Penguins, and Rangers since making his debut in 2013. He hasn’t been able to convert his 0.63 career points per game rate in the AHL into major league success on the scoresheet, though, limited to 12 goals and 33 points while averaging less than 11 minutes per game.

Beecher, the Bruins’ 2019 first-round pick, heads back to Providence for the first time since a brief reassignment on March 24. He’s eligible to suit up with the farm club in the Calder Cup Playoffs, so he may remain there when the postseason begins instead of coming back to the NHL roster. The 23-year-old has made 52 appearances for Boston in his first NHL campaign, doing well in the faceoff dot with a 54.6 FO% while adding seven goals and 10 points in limited minutes.

Forbort has missed more than half the season with nagging injuries, ending his regular season with 35 appearances and four assists while averaging 17:48 per game. His possession numbers improved to a +1.7 expected rating after posting a -4.0 expected rating during last season’s record-breaking campaign for the Bruins. However, his third-pairing/penalty-kill role has largely been superseded by trade-deadline acquisition Andrew Peeke. Since he’s been out of action for so long, it’s unlikely he’ll draw back into the playoff lineup when his six-day, three-game conditioning loan to Providence ends.

Injury Notes: Trouba, Forbort, Joshua

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Even with some positive developments on the trade front this afternoon, the New York Rangers have some negative news as well, as Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports that defenseman Jacob Trouba will be out for the next two to three weeks. With some line shuffling set to take place, new deadline pickup Chad Ruhwedel should find his way into the lineup rather quickly on the right side.

This marks the first significant injury for Trouba during the regular season in the last three years, as he sustained two full seasons in 2021-22, and 2022-23. Trouba did have an undisclosed injury earlier this year, but it was largely insignificant as it only kept him out for three days.

In now his fifth season with the Rangers, Trouba is once again performing at his typical pace. In 60 games this year, he has scored three goals and 22 points in total and is averaging just under three hits a night.

Other injury notes:

  • Indicating that his season might have come to an end, Joe Haggerty of the Boston Sports Journal is reporting that Boston Bruins’ defenseman Derek Forbort has been placed on the team’s long-term injured reserve. Forbort was playing through two significant injuries that have limited him to only 35 games on the year.
  • Jeff Patterson of Canucks Army reports that Vancouver Canucks’ forward Dakota Joshua will at most miss the next two weeks for the team. Thankfully, the Canucks only have five games over the next 14 days, so Joshua shouldn’t miss too much action down the stretch. Having the most productive season of his career up to this point, Joshua has played in 53 games for Vancouver so far this year, scoring 13 goals and 26 points overall.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top