The Florida Panthers' defensive depth is facing another tough test. Head coach Paul Maurice announced Tuesday that veteran defenseman Dmitry Kulikov will miss the remainder of the season after sustaining a broken finger in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

This latest setback caps a brutally unlucky season for the 33-year-old Kulikov. His campaign was derailed early by a shoulder injury in Game 2, requiring surgery and a five-month absence. He fought his way back into the lineup in March, playing through a broken nose—reportedly needing to be convinced by Maurice to sit out at all—only to have his comeback cut short by this new fracture.

Kulikov now joins teammates Evan Rodrigues and Aaron Ekblad on the list of Panthers sidelined by broken fingers this season, a remarkable and unfortunate trend for the club. Just last month, after his long-awaited return from shoulder rehab, Kulikov spoke about the mental challenge of being away from the team, expressing his joy at being back on the ice. His resilience and willingness to play through pain underscore the tough, team-first mentality that defines NHL defensemen.

With just two road games and final home matchups against the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings remaining, the Panthers must now finish their regular-season push without another key piece of their blue line. As the playoffs loom, managing injuries and maintaining a next-man-up mentality becomes as crucial as any strategic adjustment.