3 Studs (& 2 Duds) From the First Week of the Bruins' Season
Dud: Derek Forbort
Derek Forbort is one player who Bruins fans didn't want to see on this year's roster. While he's a solid contributor on the penalty kill, the veteran defenseman doesn't exactly excel in any areas. His underwhelming postseason play also played a role in Boston's playoff elimination back in April.
Still, it's a new season and we hoped that Forbort would give us a reason to keep him around.
Unfortunately, Forbort has been up to his usual antics. He's still as slow and mistake-prone as before, highlighted by a miscued poke check that led to the Nashville Predators taking a 1-0 lead on Saturday.
Kevin Shattenkirk can't cash in on a nice chance off the rush with the fourth line, and Colton Sissons and the Preds capitalize in quick transition the other way. 1-0, Nashville. pic.twitter.com/hiLgwJI5YY
— Patrick Donnelly (@PatDonn12) October 14, 2023
Forbort's presence hasn't helped his goaltenders, either, resulting in an .875 save percentage when he's been on the ice at 5-on-5. His 48.9% Corsi percentage also shows that the opposition has the puck more often than not when he's taking a shift.
Even if he's playing sheltered third-pairing minutes going forward, the Bruins need better play from Forbort if he wants to stick around in Boston for the full campaign.