PuckSleuth
7Cap hit
$1.15M
1.1% of $104M cap
Term
2 yrs
Through 2027-28, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$2.4M
vs. $3.55M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
3
Goals
0
Assists
1
1 primary
Points
1
0.33 per game
TOI/GP
15:41
PP 0:01 · PK 1:16
Plus/minus
+1
Hits
3
Blocks 4
PIM
2
Game Score
+0.28
per game
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 4 @ ANA · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 17:49 | 0:00 | 1:11 | — | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.06 |
| Oct 1 @ SJS · OTL 4-3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 17:28 | 0:03 | 2:20 | — | 33 | 1 | 0 | +1 | +0.75 |
| Sep 29 @ CAR · W 1-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 11:46 | 0:00 | 0:17 | — | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +0.04 |
| Apr 7 @ MTL · OTL 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 15:53 | 0:15 | 0:48 | — | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.13 |
| Apr 5 @ PIT · L 5-2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 21:59 | 0:00 | 7:09 | — | 100 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +0.08 |
GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 301 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
19th percentile
27th percentile
1st percentile
76th percentile
55th percentile
60th percentile
29th percentile
46th percentile
90th percentile
18th percentile
29th percentile
0th percentile
58th percentile
56th percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleShutdown defensive specialist
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Kulikov is a stay-at-home defenseman who excels at preventing shots and pushing the pace up ice with aggressive forechecking and rush support. He rarely shoots or makes creative plays, instead focusing on defensive responsibility and transition speed.
- Shooting volume
- 20
- Playmaking
- 0
- Zone entries(est.)
- 90
- Forechecking
- 86
- Physicality
- 45
- Defensive impact
- 94
- Puck management
- 39
- Speed
- 10
Where he shoots from
Slot 8% · Mid-range 32% · Perimeter 60%(25 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Exceptional defensive impact in the 94th percentile limits scoring chances
- Outstanding forechecking pressure at 86th percentile forces turnovers
- Elite rush chance creation at 90th percentile activates transitions
Watch-outs
- Playmaking in the 0th percentile means minimal offensive contribution
- Shooting volume at 20th percentile shows reluctance to generate offense
- Puck management at 39th percentile occasionally slows possession
Similar style: Joel Hanley (CGY), Zach Metsa (BUF)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-12 | Florida Panthers | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0.0 | 21:16 | — |
| 2015-16 | Florida Panthers | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | +4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10.0 | 25:09 | — |
| 2017-18 | Winnipeg Jets | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 9:28 | — |
| 2018-19 | Winnipeg Jets | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.0 | 13:49 | — |
| 2019-20 | Winnipeg Jets | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.0 | 20:03 | — |
| 2020-21 | Edmonton Oilers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.0 | 18:04 | — |
| 2021-22 | Minnesota Wild | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 15:33 | — |
| 2023-24 | Florida Panthers | 24 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -1 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0.0 | 13:55 | — |
| 2024-25 | Florida Panthers | 23 | 2 | 3 | 5 | +6 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 9.5 | 16:36 | — |
| Career | 9 seasons | 76 | 3 | 12 | 15 | -4 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 76 | 3.9 | 16:45 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
No news about him in the last 30 days.
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +0.07 per game over these 10.
Where his Game Score comes from
+0.04 per game
2025-26 · 19 GP
Season total +0.8, or +0.04 per game.
- Shooting
- +1.1
- 5-on-5 goals
- -0.3
- Defense
- +0.1
- Penalty kill
- -0.1
- Physical play
- +1.2
- Puck battles
- -0.7
- Penalties
- -0.6
Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2026-27, as of Oct 5
- Top speed
- 19.3 mph
- 12th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 0
- Hardest shot
- 75.8 mph
- 28th pct
- Distance
- 7.2 mi
- OZ time
- 44.6%
- 70th pct
- DZ time
- 35.1%
Usage
Last 3 games this season
Pair 3 with Gustav Forsling (4:44 together per game at 5-on-5)
From the NHL's shift charts, averaged over this season's last 10 games.
Age curve
At 35: 67% of peak
NHL defensemen · production index
At 35, defensemen typically produce 67% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 36, when the typical level is 62%.
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
2 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | FLA | $1.15M | 1.1% |
| 2027-28 | FLA | $1.15M | 1.0% |
UFA after 2027-28. $2.3M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).