Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Kulikov to undergo second MRI, will miss Florida’s next two games

Dmitry Kulikov

Dmitry Kulikov

AP

The Panthers will be without one of their minutes leaders this week for a pair of home dates against the Sharks and Isles.

Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, third on the team at 22:26 TOI per game, won’t play in tomorrow’s tilt against San Jose or Friday’s against New York because of a knee injury suffered over the weekend, per head coach Gerard Gallant.

More, from the Miami Herald:

Gallant said Kulikov is scheduled for a second MRI, but the team doesn’t think the injury is serious.

Kulikov watched Monday’s practice without crutches, but Gallant said he wouldn’t play the next two games at minimum.

“He won’t play the next two games and hopefully we know more by the West Coast road trip,” Gallant said. “We should know more later in the week.”

With Kulikov out, Colby Robak -- who’s been playing as a forward -- will be paired with Brian Campbell on defense, leaving rookie Aaron Ekblad to skate with captain Willie Mitchell. Erik Gudbranson and Dylan Olsen make up the other unit.

It’ll be interesting to see how Florida fares without Kulikov in the lineup. The club is playing .500 hockey -- 4-4-4 through 12 games -- but has a really tough stretch coming up after the Islanders game, with four consecutive road dates in Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose and Nashville.