BUFFALO, N.Y. – Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola left Saturday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres due to an upper-body injury. The Sabres won with a score of 3-0. Mikkola, 29 years old, suffered the injury in the second period after a collision with Sabres forward Tyson Kozak. In the play, Mikkola was penalized for holding and, shortly after, had to leave the game. The Panthers, seeking their third consecutive Stanley Cup championship, have faced a series of injuries that have affected their performance so far this season. Aleksander Barkov will be out of action for at least seven months due to a knee injury, while Matthew Tkachuk could return in December after suffering a groin tear. Coach Paul Maurice reported that defenseman Dmitry Kulikov will miss approximately five months due to an upper-body injury. Florida has accumulated four consecutive losses after starting the season with three straight wins.
Mikkola, who signed an eight-year, $40 million contract extension on October 2, set personal records last season with six goals and 16 assists. In addition, he led Florida defensemen with 137 hits. He could be part of the Finnish team at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.We are losing important players, but on the other hand, others have the opportunity to step up and earn a place on the team, in the league. It’s a good opportunity for them. The structure is there. We have a great group and everything is in our hands. We are going to reset, refocus, and prepare for the next game.
Sergei Bobrovsky
