Panthers activate Kulikov, place Schwindt on injured reserve

The Florida Panthers have activated veteran defenseman Dmitry Kulikov from the injured reserve list while placing forward Cole Schwindt on injured reserve.

Kulikov, a 35-year-old Russian who debuted with the Panthers during the 2009-10 season and later returned for a second stint with the team, has been sidelined with an injury that he suffered during the second game of the season.

The six-foot-one left-handed blueliner did not record a point in either of his two appearances this season, but a year ago he put up 13 points in 70 appearances while breaching the 1,000-game milestone during the campaign.

Schwindt is in the midst of his fourth NHL season. Like Kulikov, he previously debuted with Florida before the team reacquired him this off-season. He has 4 points in 22 games this season and 12 in 71 career games.

Florida, the two-time reigning Stanley Cup champion, has been hampered by injuries all year long. Star center and perennial Selke favorite Aleksander Barkov has missed the entire season to this point with a knee injury, while winger Matthew Tkachuk did not join the team until after the start of the new year.

As a result, the Panthers are in serious peril of missing the playoffs altogether after winning the last two Cups and making it to the Stanley Cup Final as an upstart underdog in 2023.

At 30-26-3, Florida currently sits eight points behind the cut line for the East’s second wild card spot with four teams standing between them and the Boston Bruins.

The Panthers defeated a flailing Toronto Maple Leafs team in their first game back from the Olympic break, but a regulation loss in Buffalo on Friday took more wind out of their sails.

Florida has another key matchup on Sunday on Long Island, when they’ll take on another likely playoff team in the Islanders.