BUFFALO, N.Y. – Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola left Saturday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres due to an upper-body injury. The Sabres defeated the Panthers with a score of 3-0. Mikkola, 29 years old, suffered the injury in the second period after a tussle with Sabres forward Tyson Kozak. Mikkola was penalized for holding and left the game shortly after. The Panthers, seeking their third consecutive Stanley Cup championship, have been heavily impacted by injuries so far this season. Aleksander Barkov will be out 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 on Wednesday that defenseman Dmitry Kulikov is expected to be out for about five months due to an upper-body injury. Florida has lost four straight games after starting the season with three straight wins.
Mikkola agreed to an eight-year, $40 million contract extension on October 2. Last season, he set personal records with six goals and 16 assists, and 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 make a place for themselves in the team, in the league. It’s a good opportunity for them. The structure is there. We have a great group of players, and everything is in our hands. We are going to reset, refocus, and prepare for the next game.
Sergei Bobrovsky
