Derek Forbort played just two games this season for the Vancouver Canucks.
The 2025-26 season was a complicated one for Derek Forbort. The Vancouver Canucks defenceman played the first two games of the campaign, but did not play again for the rest of the year due to what the club originally called "maintenance". Add in very few updates from the team throughout the season, and Forbort's injury was a perplexing mystery for the last six months.
Fans and media finally got some clarity on what exactly Forbort was dealing with as he spoke during the year-end availabilities. The 34-year-old detailed some of the procedures he underwent, which included a Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection. In his answer, Forbort also included a timeline of when he started dealing with injury issues.
"Yeah, kind of started before training camp," said Forbort. "Started having some hip issues. Was able to get through training camp with a Cortisone injection that kind of wore off. Ended up doing like a PRP injection in Toronto. Had a pretty bad reaction to that. And then, kind of once that calmed down, we were just trying to rehab. Tried a bunch of things, and then it just kind of got to the point where had to get the labral tear in my hip fixed, and so I had surgery for that, and, yeah, just been rehabbing now."
There is also a mental component to rehabbing an injury. The longer a player is out, the more frustrated they can become, especially if they suffer a setback. As Forbort explained, it was very difficult having to watch the season from the sideline, especially as the organization was struggling on the ice.
"I mean, it sucks. When you're doing everything you can to try and get back and help the boys, and it's just not going the way you want it to. And you know, the team's kind of struggling, and you want to be out there helping, and so that part sucks. But, yeah, I've a good group of guys, lot of good friends on the team, that kind of help you get through it."
Mar 18, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Derek Forbort (27) skates during warm up against the Winnipeg Jets at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn ImagesAs for Forbort's future, he is set to become a free agent on July 1. Considering his age, injury status and the fact that he hasn't played since October 11, 2025, it could make getting another contract difficult. When asked about continuing his playing career, Forbort stated that he has no plans to retire just yet.
"I'd like to try and maybe grind out a couple more, depending on how it feels. Just talking to the surgeon, he said, it's gonna solve a lot of the issues that I kind of had the last couple of years with it. So hopefully makes a big difference, and can try and continue playing."
When healthy, Fobort is a solid, bottom-pair defender that can kill penalties. He has 552 games of NHL experience under his belt, in which he has produced 106 points. If Forbort's rehab does work out the way he hopes, he should be able to get an opportunity somewhere in the league next season.
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