Derek Forbort Offers Self-Assessment After Return To Bruins Lineup

Derek Forbort made his long-awaited return to the Bruins lineup when Boston opened its second-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the Florida Panthers on Monday night.

Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery teased Forbort’s potential return during Boston’s first-round series. The defenseman was recalled April 22, but that was after the organization in mid-March thought Forbort would miss the rest of the season due to two significant injuries.

Forbort offered a self-assessment after his first game in two months.

“It was all right,” Forbort told reporters, per the Bruins. “Just a little rusty with some things. But a couple of long shifts, that I got a little tired but that’ll come back.”

“Obviously, it feels fast at first. You start to settle in and you just kind of realize it’s just a hockey game and you just gotta play hard and it should be fine.”

Forbort said he feels close to 100%.

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Forbort recorded 18:03 of ice time in the Black and Gold’s series-opening win. He landed six hits, blocked two shots and helped Boston’s penalty kill nix all three of Florida’s man-advantages.

“Forbort looked really confident,” Montgomery told reporters after the 5-1 win, per Boston.com’s Conor Ryan. “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.”

The Bruins placed Forbort on long-term injured reserve in early March after he underwent surgery, according to Bruins general manager Don Sweeney. At the time, Sweeney thought Forbort’s season was most likely over, and Forbort was told by surgeons it would be a lengthy recovery.

Forbort figures to be back in Boston’s lineup when the Bruins return to the ice in Game 2 on Wednesday night. Puck drop from Amerant Bank Arena is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. NESN+ will air pregame coverage at 6:30 p.m. ET and postgame coverage after the final buzzer.