Breaking news for Florida Panthers fans! Veteran defenseman Dmitry Kulikov will be out of action for approximately five months following surgery for an upper-body injury.
The 34-year-old sustained the injury during the Panthers’ game against the Philadelphia Flyers on October 9, which they won 2-1.
This is a significant blow to the team as they are already dealing with several other key player injuries, including center Aleksander Barkov and forward Matthew Tkachuk.
Kulikov has been a consistent presence on the Panthers’ blue line, contributing 13 points in the regular season and five points in the playoffs last year, aiding the team’s second consecutive Stanley Cup victory.
With Kulikov’s absence, the Panthers will look to Uvis Balinskis and Tobias Bjornfot to step up and fill the void in the defense.
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