FORT LAUDERDALE – The Florida Panthers will be down another man for a bit.
On Wednesday, head coach Paul Maurice announced that defenseman Dmitry Kulikov will miss an extended period of time with an injury, but should return before the playoffs begin.
“We’ll list him as week to week, upper body,” Maurice said.
Kulikov’s injury occurred during the first period of a 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Sunday when he collided awkwardly with Anthony Duclair at high speed in the neutral zone.
With Aaron Ekblad (suspension) already out of action, Kulikov had been playing an important role on Florida’s second pairing alongside Niko Mikkola prior to the injury.
In 68 games, Kulikov, a Stanley Cup champion with the Panthers last year, has registered 13 points (four goals, nine assists), while also leading the team’s defensemen with 110 hits.
Filling the void on the back end, Tobias Bjornfot was recalled from the AHL on Tuesday.
Suiting up in eight NHL games this season, Bjornfot, who was part of Florida’s expanded playoff roster during last year’s run to the Cup, has produced great underlying numbers, with the team leading 6.15-2.37 in expected goals at 5-on-5 when he’s been deployed.
“It’s nice to have a guy you can bring up that everybody knows,” Maurice said of Bjornfot’s familiarly with the organization. “When he walks into the room and gets on the plane, this is normal for him. His games for us have been very good. He falls in that category of a guy that when you send him down you feel bad because he hasn’t done anything on the ice [to deserve it]."
Initially, Bjornfot is expected take Kulikov’s spot next to Mikkola.
While it’s a very small sample size, that pairing showed some promise earlier this season, with the Panthers leading 12-1 in shots on goal at 5-on-5 when Bjornfot and Mikkola played together.
Leading the Atlantic Division at 41-24-3, the Panthers will visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.
"We've got to look at the bigger block -- 3 [games] in 4 [nights],” said Maurice, who noted that managing minutes will be paramount for the team's defensemen down the stretch. “The thing I prefer to do when you're bringing something in is to just make one change, move the fewest pieces as possible to start. That's kind of the idea. [Bjornfot] playing with Niko to start is a good way to kind of enter him."
Originally taken in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft by the Los Angeles Kings, Bjornfot has appeared in 128 games over parts of six seasons in the NHL, recording 15 points (one goal, 14 assists), 115 hits and 115 blocks while averaging 16:12 of ice time in that stretch.
In 43 AHL games in Charlotte this season, the 23-year-old Swede has posted 16 points (two goals, 14 assists).
"Tobi is an awesome player, great guy,” forward Anton Lundell said. “We're happy to have him. We've got some depth. Always good to get him here."
Stay tuned for more updates on Kulikov in the coming weeks.
