Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Dmitry Kulikov out week in week with undisclosed injury
The additions to the Pittsburgh Penguins trade deadlines seem to be cursed. Last week, they lost newly acquired center Nick Bonino to a lacerated kidney. On Tuesday morning, coach Mike Sullivan revealed that defender Dmitry Kulikov will be out week-to-week with an undisclosed injury.
According to Mike Sullivan, Dmitry Kulikov will be sidelined any week now with an undisclosed injury.
Ryan Poehling continues to progress from his undisclosed illness.
Tristan Jarry is on the hill tonight.
— Seth Rorabaugh (@SethRorabaugh) March 14, 2023
Kulikov was ejected from Sunday’s game against the New York Rangers due to the injury. He had logged just nine shifts and 8:13 of ice time before quitting. It was only his fourth game since the Penguins acquired him on trade deadline day March 3 from the Anaheim Ducks for forward Brock McGinn and a 2024 third-round pick. to eat McGinn’s $2.75 million cap through 2024-25, the Ducks kept 50% of Kulikov’s $2.5 million AAV salary, meaning the Penguins won’t were only using $1.125 million of ceiling space on their new blue line acquisition.
Kulikov, 32, had one point in his first four games with Pittsburgh, averaging 14:09 of ice time in his three completed games while playing on third pair with Jan Rutta. The two had an average start as a duo. In 35:25 together at 5 on 5, the Pens had been outscored 17-12 and 12-7. Kulikov, however, was used for the penalty, as was new acquisition Bonino. Losing both is a blow for a team with an average 15e on the PK with an efficiency rate of 79.7%.
The Penguins trooper missed his two new plays in the middle of an Eastern Conference Wildcard dogfight. With 78 points, they hold the top Wildcard spot at the moment. They have a game in hand against the Florida Panthers, who are five points from a playoff spot, and are seven points ahead of the Buffalo Sabers, who have played the same number of games. The Pens host the lowly Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.
