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 the game with a score of 3-0. Mikkola, 29, suffered the injury in the second period after a tussle with Sabres forward Tyson Kozak. Mikkola received a holding penalty and left the game shortly after. The Panthers, who are seeking their third consecutive Stanley Cup championship, have been hit hard by injuries so far this season. Aleksander Barkov will be out for at least seven months due to a knee injury. 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 missing important players, but on the other hand, others have the opportunity to step up and earn a place in the team, in the league.
Sergei Bobrovsky
