Florida Panthers News

Balinskis had been in the Panthers' lineup for the last two games after recalled from the minors earlier in the week but will be a healthy scratch Thursday at Vancouver as Dmitry Kulikov takes his place. The 27-year-old defensemen is in his first NHL season and first North American season after spending his early career in the Czechia league and the KHL. He has a goal and an assists to go along with six PIMs in 17 games played with Florida in 2023-24.

Kulikov will re-enter the Panthers' lineup for the first time since December 8th as Uvis Balinskis will be a healthy scratch. Kulikov has eight points (0G / 8A) in 25 games this season and will likely skate on the third defensive pair next to Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

Bobrovsky will start for the third time in the last four games and search for his fifth straight victory on Tuesday. During his four-game winning streak, Bobrovsky has allowed more than one goal only once and has a .941 SV%. Bobrovsky and the Panthers are -160 road favourites against a Seattle Kraken team that is reeling, losing eight straight (0-6-2) and being held to three goals or fewer in each contest.

Jones will not play on Tuesday due to an upper-body injury and is being evaluated further to see the full extent of his injury. Jones has three points in his last four games while averaging over 26 minutes on ice.

Boqvist is no stranger to the NHL level, amassing 190 games and scoring 55 points (28G / 27A) in the process. However, he has spent most of the 2023-24 campaign with the Providence Bruins of the AHL, tallying 14 points (5G / 9A) in 24 games. His call-up is a potential sign that Pavel Zacha (upper-body) might not be ready to return to the Bruins' lineup.

Jet Greaves has been reassigned to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL, allowing Columbus to recall Tarasov after a conditioning stint in the AHL. Tarasov posted a 2.57 GAA and .915 SV% in four games (2-1-0) with Cleveland and will likely serve as the backup to Spencer Martin until Elvis Merzlikins (illness) is ready to return to the lineup.

Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz have split starts over the last four games for the Panthers, but Bobrovsky will start consecutive games for the first time in nearly two weeks on Friday. On Wednesday, Bobrovsky held on, saving 29 of 33 shots (.879 SV%) in a 5-4 victory over the Dallas Stars, giving him three straight wins and posting a stellar .933 SV% in the process. The Panthers are sizeable -157 home favourites against a Pittsburgh Penguins team that has lost three straight (0-1-2), scoring only five goals in that span.

Davies was the Panthers' sixth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and has signed his first contract with the club, a three-year entry-level deal. The 19-year-old has been tearing up the American Hockey League this season, scoring 31 points (19G / 12A) in 22 games with the Portland Winterhawks.

Bobrovsky will take the crease Wednesday after backing up two of the Panthers' last three games and will look to build off his personal two-game winning streak after a 21 save (.955 SV%) victory in his last start. The 35-year-old has been the model of consistency this season, with his 11-6-1 record, 2.41 GAA and .912 SV%. He will take on the Dallas Stars, who are in a bit of a funk having lost four of their last six but are still seventh in the NHL in goals per game (3.39).

Gadjovich was a healthy scratch for the Panthers' previous game but will draw into the lineup Wednesday vs. Dallas on the fourth line. The 25-year-old left-winger has yet to score this season but has an assist, eight SOG, 41 PIMs and a -1 plus/minus in seven games played.

Balinskis has spent most of the season with the Panthers but is returning from a one-game stint with the Charlotte Checkers, where he scored one point (1G / 0A). In 15 games with the Panthers, the Latvian defender has two points (1G / 1A), six penalty minutes, and a +1 plus/minus rating.

Bjornfot did not see any action in his most recent call up to Los Angeles having only appeared for the team on October 11th and has been reassigned to Ontario (AHL) Friday. The 22-year-old defensemen heads back to the minors, where he has yet to pick up a point in three games during his previous AHL stint this season.

Balinskis had a goal, an assist, 16 SOG, six PIMs and a +1 plus/minus in 15 games played so far in 2023-24 but has been loaned back to Charlotte (AHL) on Friday. The 27-year-old defensemen will head to the Checkers for the first time in his career after making his NHL and North American debut this season.

Bobrovsky is coming off a light, 20-save performance against the Ottawa Senators on Monday, in which he recorded his second shutout of the season in a commanding 5-0 victory. Bobrovsky will return to the crease on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens, a team he has been terrific against throughout his career, posting a 2.48 GAA and .921 SV% in 24 games (15-7-1). The Panthers are sizeable -244 road favourites against the Canadiens, who played last night in a 4-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets and rank sixth-worst in the league offensively (2.77 GF / GP).