The 31-year-old defenseman was placed on long-term injured reserve on Thursday due to a lower-body injury. Mason Lohrei was called up from Providence on an emergency basis.
After playing at full strength for nearly two weeks, the Boston Bruins placed Derek Forbort on long-term injured reserve Thursday morning. The 31-year-old defenseman is reportedly dealing with the same groin injury that hampered him during training camp.
“It’s a lower-body injury,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said Thursday. “I think at one point we gave him five days off, and it was doing well, but the nine games in 16 days [and] just the repetitive demands on the body, and it’s come back. And we’re going to give him a little extended time to try and nip this for the rest of the year.”
Forbort has four points – all assists – in 20 games this season. He’s played the majority of the season alongside Kevin Shattenkirk on Boston’s third defensive pair.
A fixture in defensive situations and on the penalty kill, Forbort will be replaced by Mason Lohrei, who was recalled from AHL Providence on an emergency basis. The 22-year-old blue liner has four points in 10 games with Boston this season.
Lohrei last played on Nov. 24, registering an assist in the Bruins’ 5-2 loss against the Detroit Red Wings before getting sent back to Providence upon Matt Grzelcyk’s return to the lineup on Nov. 25 following an upper-body injury.
Since returning to the AHL, Lohrei tallied two assists in three games.
“We know what he’s done for us here and how good he’s been, and we’re excited to see where he’s at in his development stage now, which is going to help us like he did last time we played Buffalo (a 5-2 win on Nov. 14).”
Lohrei will slot directly in Forbort’s place on the third pair with Shattenkirk when Boston takes on the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.
“We haven’t paired yet on the sheet, but we’ve definitely taken shifts together,” Lohrei said. “Obviously, you know, he’s played so many games and is such a great player that he’s unbelievable to have to learn from and talk to on the bench, so I’ve definitely utilized his knowledge and trying to pick his brain, so it should be good.”