‘A part I enjoy doing’: Kulikov sets Panthers record for hits by a defenseman

SUNRISE, Fla. – There was one practice last season when I strolled up to Dmitry Kulikov’s stall in the locker room to talk with him about a hip check he’d had in the previous game.

Executed perfectly in open ice, it was an old school hit you don’t see too often these days.

“I am old school,” he smiled while talking about the booming check.

Keeping that old school alive, Kulikov is now in a class of his own.

With three hits during Wednesday’s 5-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, the 34-year-old veteran now stands alone as the franchise’s all-time leader for hits by a defenseman.

With his 918^th hit as a Panther, he broke the previous record of 917 held by Radko Gudas.

A fairly new record, the NHL began tracking hits during the 2007-08 season.

“It’s part of hockey, and a part that I enjoy doing,” Kulikov said when asked about the record. “Physicality is a big part of my game. I go for hits when I see the opportunity for it; I don’t go out of position to try and hit somebody. I just try to do that and keep it clean.”

Helping the Panthers capture their first-ever Stanley Cup, Kulikov set a career-high with 145 hits during the 2023-24 regular season before adding 56 more in 24 playoff games.

Overall, he’s posted at least six seasons of 100-plus hits with the Panthers.