Overview

• Kulikov had surgery Wednesday to repair a labral tear and is expected to be sidelined for roughly five months, coach Paul Maurice said.
• He was injured Oct. 9 against the Flyers in a collision involving Bobby Brink and was placed on injured reserve the next day.
• Reports project a mid-March return that could leave roughly 15–20 regular-season games before the playoffs, pending recovery.
• Uvis Balinskis has stepped into the lineup and Tobias Bjornfot was recalled for depth as Florida fills third-pair and PK duties.
• The setback adds to long-term absences for Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk and Tomas Nosek, increasing strain on lineup and special teams.