Derek Forbort will be staying in Vancouver next season.
The Canucks announced they agreed to a one-year extension with the defenseman on Tuesday. The deal is worth $2 million.
“Bringing Derek back for another season is an important move for our group,” Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said in a statement released by the team. “His strong defensive play and solid work on the penalty kill really helped solidify our back end this past year. Derek has a strong voice in the room and some impressive leadership qualities, and we will look to him to help our team continue to grow and improve this coming season.”
Forbort signed with the Western Conference team during free agency last summer after three seasons with the Boston Bruins. He appeared in 54 games for Vancouver and totaled 11 points, 45 penalty minutes and averaged 17:06 of ice time.
In October, Forbort briefly stepped away from the team after his father died. An undisclosed injury also sidelined the 33-year-old.
Forbort’s final year in Boston was a trying one. While he was strong on the penalty kill, the defenseman struggled during the 2023-24 season between injuries and inconsistent play on the ice. When he returned from long-term injured reserve in February 2024, Forbort couldn’t quite find his groove, but still remained in the lineup.
The blueliner then dealt with two other injuries that sidelined him until the second round of the playoffs against the Florida Panthers. After the Bruins were eliminated, Forbort revealed he had surgery on both of his groins and on his thumb to repair a torn ligament prior to his playoff return.
In 165 games for the Bruins, Forbort tallied 30 points.
