Jim Montgomery is handing out some more in-house punishment
For the second time this year, a Bruins player has missed a team meeting on the road. And for the second time this year, Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery will punish that player with a healthy scratch designation.
This time around, it will be Bruins defenseman Derek Forbort who will take a seat after a missed meeting ahead of the team’s Monday head-to-head with the Kraken. The update on Forbort came after Forbort was missing from the ice during Boston’s morning skate in Seattle, and with confirmation from Montgomery during his post-skate media availability.
Derek Forbort missed a meeting and will not play tonight, per Montgomery.#nhlbruins
— Adam Pellerin (@adampellerin) February 26, 2024
As noted, this is the second time this has happened with a B’s skater this season. Back in October, it was Jake DeBrusk who earned a one-game trip to the doghouse and missed a Saturday head-to-head with the Kings.
Forbort’s missed meeting is just the latest setback in a season that’s been full of ’em for the veteran shot blocker.
Between injuries and inconsistencies, Forbort has found himself unable to have solid footing on positive momentum.
It’s been especially noticeable since his return to the Boston lineup back on Jan. 20, with Forbort on the ice for 17 goals against in just 236 minutes of action. His 17 on-ice goals against is the second-most among all Boston skaters, trailing only Charlie McAvoy and Charlie Coyle (both of whom have 18 on-ice goals against), but it’s worth noting that Forbort has played 44 fewer minutes than Coyle and a staggering 149 fewer minutes than McAvoy.
Boston’s penalty kill has also been in the tank since Forbort’s return, with a 69.8 percent success rate (30th in the NHL) since Forbort’s return. The B’s penalty kill ranked 17th in the NHL (78.9 percent) during Forbort’s 20-game absence from the Black and Gold’s lineup from early December through mid-January.
If not for the week-to-week injury to the Bruins’ Hampus Lindholm, who has taken on a majority of the tougher defensive-zone assignments this season, it’s almost fair to assume that Forbort would be in the midst of a competition for ice time with the likes of Parker Wotherspoon and Kevin Shattenkirk.
With Forbort out on Monday, the Bruins will roll with a third pairing featuring Wotherspoon to the left of Shattenkirk, while Mason Lohrei will remain with Brandon Carlo on Boston’s second pairing and the Matt Grzelcyk-McAvoy combo remains Boston’s top option on the blue line.
