The United States leads the way with a dominating 10 of 19 gold medals since the tournament’s inception in 1999. The 2010 championship was the fifth for Team USA and second in a row, the first nation to go back-to-back since Finland won the first two tournaments in 1999 and 2000.

The U.S., in fact, won four in a row from 2009 to 2012, six of seven and seven of nine tournament championships since 2009. In 2010, Forbort helped the U.S. win gold with an assist on the first goal of the gold-medal game, one of two tournament assists for the native of Duluth, Minnesota, who was a plus-nine during the tournament.

“It was fun,” Forbort said. “To work all year with a group of guys and be successful is a pretty good feeling, that’s for sure. We were in Belarus for about a month. It was pretty special to be there with that group of guys and come out on top.”

The 2010 group finished the job in Belarus, but Forbort’s path to the tournament started in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with the NTDP.

“It was a big part of my life growing up,” Forbort said of the NTDP. “It definitely helped me develop as a player and as a person, too.”

Forbort played high school hockey at Duluth East High School with seven goals and 28 points in 25 games and after his season played with the U.S. Under-17 team. He spent the next two seasons with the NTDP, recording five goals and 28 points in 65 games.

“It was the first time I left home, but I played around better players every night,” Forbort said. “Just being around hockey and that kind of atmosphere all the time was huge for me at that age.”

The 26-year-old Forbort said he enjoyed his time with the NTDP and forged friendships with players that still last to this day.

Forbort at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship

Forbort at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship

“It was a ton of fun,” Forbort said. “I played my senior year [at the NTDP], and I don’t know, I was just ready for the next challenge. My goal was to play in the NHL and it seemed like the next step.”

Forbort, who was selected by the Kings in the first round, No. 15 overall, during the 2010 NHL Draft, spent three seasons at the University of North Dakota and 187 games in the minors before ascending to the NHL.

Forbort was North Dakota’s Rookie of the Year as a freshman during the 2010-11 season, made the WCHA All-Tournament Team in 2012 and played in all 42 games with a career-high four goals and 17 points as a junior in 2012-13.

He was highly-regarded as a two-way defenseman coming out of North Dakota, but settled into a shot-blocking shutdown role with the Manchester Monarchs and Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League, and now is entering his third full season with the Kings.

Forbort, who signed a two-year contract extension on Oct. 19, 2017, averaged nearly 21 minutes of ice time in 2017-18 while ranking in the top 20 in blocked shots.

“I think when I was drafted, we kind of knew I was a little bit of ways away,” Forbort said. “I owe a lot to the development staff, coaches and management. They helped me a lot and I’m very fortunate to them for sticking with me and helping me develop as a player.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.