SUNRISE, Fla. – With two key pieces missing on their blue line, the Florida Panthers recalled defenseman Tobias Bjornfot from the Charlotte Checkers on Tuesday.
Already without top-pair defenseman Aaron Ekblad (suspension), the Panthers lost veteran Dmitry Kulikov to an upper-body injury in their loss to the New York Islanders on Sunday.
An update on Kulikov’s status is expected to come following Wednesday’s practice.
No stranger to South Florida, Bjornfot has appeared in nine games with the Panthers over the past two seasons and was with the team during last year’s run to the Stanley Cup.
Suiting up in eight games with the Panthers this season, Bjornfot last took the ice in the NHL during a 2-1 loss at Los Angeles on Jan. 22, registering two hits over 10:47 of ice time.
Producing strong underlying numbers at 5-on-5, the Panthers have led 126-66 in shot attempts and 6.15-2.37 in expected goals when Bjornfot has been deployed this season.
Originally taken in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft by the Kings, Bjornfot, who won’t turn 24 until April, has appeared in 128 games over parts of six seasons in the NHL.
In 43 AHL games in Charlotte this season, the 6-foot, 200-pound Swede has notched 16 points (two goals, 14 assists).
“I bounced around a little bit last year, but I think that helped my game,” Bjornfot said back in January when asked about the strides in his game since joining the Panthers. “I learned lots of new stuff. I watched a lot of hockey last year, and I think that helped.”
Leading the Atlantic Division at 41-24-3, the Panthers will re-engage their six-game road trip with a matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Thursday.
