Canucks’ Derek Forbort out week-to-week with lower-body injury

On Wednesday, it was announced that Vancouver Canucks defenseman Derek Forbort is being ruled out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

While it is not exactly clear what is ailing the 32-year-old, Harman Dayal of The Athletic reported on Monday that Forbort was banged up during a drill at practice, leaving the skate early while favoring his leg.

Forbort has just returned to the Canucks after taking a leave of absence for personal reasons just a few games into the season. He made his return to the lineup last Saturday against the San Jose Sharks, appearing in the 500th game of his NHL career. He registered 15:18 of ice time with a plus/minus of -1 in Vancouver’s 3-2 win.

The Duluth, Minnesota native has played in four of the Canucks’ 11 games so far this season. He picked up an assist in a 3-2 shootout loss against the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 11, his lone point of the season so far. He has averaged 16:30 TOI with a -2 rating.

This is Forbort’s first season with the Canucks. After spending three seasons with the Boston Bruins, the University of North Dakota product signed a one-year contract to come to Vancouver, with a cap hit of $1.5 million. He was brought in to further add some experience to a blueline that features the likes of captain Quinn Hughes and fellow veteran Tyler Myers.

Forbort has bounced around the league in recent years. He was originally taken in the first round, 15th overall, by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2010 NHL Draft. After parts of five seasons with the Kings, he was traded to the Calgary Flames in Feb. 2020. He then spent the 2020-21 campaign with the Winnipeg Jets before moving to Boston the following year.

In 10-plus seasons in the NHL, Forbort has scored 17 goals and 79 assists for 96 points, including five in 35 Stanley Cup Playoff appearances.