Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Panthers welcome back another ex
Kulikov off to rough start with Sabres
SUNRISE — For the second time in 10 days, the Florida Panthers welcomed back a former defenseman who grew up in the organization, as Buffalo Sabres’ blue-liner Dmitry Kulikov made his first trip to he BB&T Center since an offseason draft-day trade.
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Erik Gudbranson was touched by a video tribute and warm ovation from the fans when he came to visit on Dec. 10, a 4-2 victory for the Panthers. Kulikov, who was dealt to the Sabres for fellow defenseman Mark Pysyk in a surprising trade in June, was looking forward to his scheduled video tribute Tuesday night.
“The rink is the same, but the entrance was a bit different,” Kulikov said after morning skate from the visitors’ dressing room. “Right now it doesn’t feel weird, but I’m sure when I step out for the warmups, it’ll be a little emotional seeing the fans that I played for so long in front of.
“We played them earlier in the season and half the team is different now.”
Kulikov, 26, a first-round
draft pick by the Panthers in 2009, played his first seven seasons with Florida. He played for four head coaches, and helped the Panthers reach two playoff berths, including last year’s franchise-record 103-point season.
However, Kulikov began his Sabres’ stint by getting checked into an open door by the bench during his first preseason game and sustained a tailbone injury, forcing him to miss training camp and the season opener.
Kulikov was hampered by the slow-healing injury that caused pain running down his legs. He played 12 games and then missed the next 13 to sufficiently heal, before returning four games ago.
“It started out rough, getting hurt in my first preseason game, and I’ve battling the injury all season,” said Kulikov, who has zero points and a team-worst minus-7 ice rating. “It takes awhile to get to know the systems and your new teammates. I feel like it’s just gotten to the point where I feel comfortable now playing with the way I want to play, and not limited by the injury.”
Coincidentally, while Gudbranson has provided leadership for the Canucks, he’s sporting an ugly minus-14 rating, and is now out indefinitely with a wrist injury.
Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said Kulikov is progressing since his return.
“Unfortunately, for Kuli, coming back from the World Cup he had the injury with getting checked into the boards, the door coming open and derailed the first part of his season for him,” Bylsma said. “He’s gotten back into the games for us now and I really think since his first game he’s playing a number of strong games for us. He’s really made a difference with his skating and his ability to defend on the back end.”
Panthers interim coach and general manager Tom Rowe said the Panthers didn’t want to trade Kulikov or Gudbranson, but did so because of salary-cap issues, as Kulikov is slated to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
“We didn’t want to give up Kuli, but we knew it was more of a salary-cap move at the time,” Rowe said Tuesday. “We had targeted Pysyk in a trade for quite a while and we liked him a lot. What he’s done for us coming in here being able to move the puck, shut teams down in our end of the ice, play a real heady game. It has been great for us.
“We definitely miss Kuli. He’s a big, strong guy who can skate. But we had to make some tough decisions in the summertime and Pysyk has come in and done a great job.”
Pysyk, 24, has a goal and seven points with a zero ice rating in 32 games. He’s been a stalwart on the Panthers’ much-improved fifth-ranked penalty kill in which he leads the team in ice time.
“I saw something coming but didn’t know it was me, but it’s turned out pretty good so far and I’m enjoying it here,” said Pysyk, 24, a first-round pick by the Sabers in 2010, who has played 157 NHL games compared to Kulikov’s 476. “It was good to get the first one out of the way there so I can focus on the game tonight.”
The Panthers lost 3-0 to the Sabres on Oct. 29.
Panthers blossoming star center Aleksander Barkov, 21, who’s got a Finnish and Russian background, was grateful for Kulikov’s help to assimilate into America and South Florida.
“My first few years he helped me a lot, and made life easier for me here,” Barkov said. “He brought me to practices. … When I didn’t speak English he was my translator. Now I have to speak English so it’s getting better, so that’s his fault.” ... Panthers forward Jon
Marchessault, still the team’s leading goal scorer with 10, was a last-minute scratch, and sat out his third consecutive game with a groin injury.