Breaking News: Boston Bruins Brad Marchand signed a five-year, $20.9 million contract extension with….. Coach Statement
Report: Boston Bruins Defenseman Will Test Free Agent Market
Originally posted on Inside The Rink | By Connor Green | Last modified June 5, 24
At the end of each season, we rely on season-ending media availability to determine which pending unrestricted free agents will test the free agency market and which players wish to remain in town. The Boston Bruins’ roster changes were unclear following locker room cleanup day.
According to David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period, Bruins defender Derek Forbort will be available in free agency. Forbort is coming off a three-year contract with the Bruins that was not very successful. Forbort had with injury troubles throughout the 2023-24 season, limiting him to only 35 games played.
With Andrew Peeke joining the Bruins and the rise of Parker Wotherspoon and Mason Lohrei, Forbort’s time in Boston is limited. Peeke and Wotherspoon are both defensively minded defenseman who are similar in age to the Bruins core and have a lower salary charge than Forbort.
Mason Lohrei portrays Charlie McAvoy, while Hampus Lindholm plays Brandon. Carlo – Parker Wotherspoon – Andrew Peeke.
As the Bruins enter the offseason, their defensive core appears to be cemented. The issue will be if the Bruins can improve from Wotherspoon/Lohrei on the left side and take a gamble. They’re said to be targeting Jakob Chychurn, who might be on the market again. Brett Pesce, Brady Skjei, Chris Tanev, and Nikita Zadorov provide further defense alternatives.
My thoughts.
Derek Forbort was not a big contributing component to the Boston Bruins’ success. When he signed the 3 x 3 deal, many supporters were perplexed, with some claiming it was an overpayment. During his first postseason appearance, he received some praise for his defensive play and shot-blocking skills, but let’s be honest: those players are easy to come by.
Seeing Forbort depart from the Bruins is a net plus in my opinion. Andrew Peeke was brought in to play Forbort’s role, but with much greater aggressiveness. For the most part, Forbort underperformed in terms of big hits. Take your cap savings and go get a scoring forward, Don.
