Bruins Have Reportedly Discussed Trade With Panthers Involving Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- The NHL rumor mill continues to churn as the June 24 draft rapidly approaches. The Bruins are one of several teams who could be in the market for a top-four defenseman, and now there's an actual name to attach to the speculation.
According to CSNNE's Joe Haggerty, a source told him that the Bruins and Florida Panthers have recently discussed a trade involving defenseman Dmitry Kulikov. However, Haggerty described the talks as "tire-kicking" and not a serious negotiation as of now.
The 6-foot-1, 204-pound Kulikov has the mobility that Bruins GM Don Sweeney is looking for in a "transitional" defenseman and certainly the skill level to crack the Bruins' top-four. The former first-round pick from Russia will be entering his eighth year in the league and is still just 25 years old.
Here's a stat that makes Kulikov sound like a perfect Bruin: in 2015-16 he scored just one goal on 99 shots. His advanced possession numbers also dipped below 50 percent last season, despite playing on a defensive pairing with former No. 1 overall pick Aaron Ekblad. Kulikov is also signed for only one more year with a $4.33 million cap hit before hitting unrestricted free agency after the 2016-17 season.
There's also this incident from a game between the Panthers and Bruins, where Brad Marchand bloodied Kulikov with a hit-from-behind right into the corner of the boards:
Perhaps Marchand's hit was in retaliation for getting clotheslined by Kulikov in March of 2014:
All of this may be moot, anyway. But at least Sweeney appears to be exploring all possible avenues to upgrade the defense.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.