The Bruins have found their Kevan Miller replacement. His name is Derek Forbort.
Boston on Wednesday made its first reported signing of free agency, scooping up the veteran defenseman, who spent last season with the Winnipeg Jets.
The left-shot blueliner adds some needed depth to that side of the Bruins’ defense, which is particularly lacking following the departure of Jarred Tinordi and the selection of Jeremy Lauzon in the expansion draft.
At 6-foot-4, 219 pounds, he brings size the Bruins need on the back end. He eats pucks like a menace and figures to be a key penalty killer. Boston could put him on the third pairing with Connor Clifton, and with that could have a physical, aggressive combo. The Bruins could use Forbort in a bigger role, as he’s used to playing a ton of minutes on a nightly basis. If Bruce Cassidy ever wants to split up Matt Grzelcyk and Charlie McAvoy, Forbort could be a useful partner for McAvoy on the top duo.
What makes Forbort a plus over Miller is that the offensive end of his game isn’t as capped. He’s not exactly Cale Makar with the puck on his stick, but he can move it effectively enough and facilitate scoring for his teammates. He’s generally good for double-digit assists each season.
The Lightning building a monster defense the last few seasons showed the value of having some big bodies on D. Boston might be paying a premium with that by giving Forbort a three-year contract that has a $3 million cap hit, but that’s the cost of adding those guys nowadays. Clearly, they have plenty of value, especially in the postseason.
