Kulikov out long-term due to back surgery

WINNIPEG - Another long-term injury has hit the Winnipeg Jets roster.
Dmitry Kulikov will have surgery on his back, and will be re-evaluated after eight weeks.
Head coach Paul Maurice said it is a reoccurrence of the injury that limited him to 47 games with the Buffalo Sabres last season.
"We waited for the inflammation to go down, there were a couple of different ways to do it," said Maurice. "But everybody agreed in the end, I don't know if it's the fastest, but certainly the best for the player long-term is to get it done and get it fixed."

The injury occurred when the 27-year-old went to one-time a puck passed to him at the point against the New Jersey Devils. Kulikov didn't get all of it, and while Kyle Connor deflected it and nearly scored on Cory Schneider, Kulikov didn't play another shift after the 16:41 mark of the second period.
"It's tough for him. Maybe it helped that it just happened, and he didn't have to deal with it for three weeks and agonize whether he should be playing or not," said Maurice. "He felt good, he took a shot, and all of a sudden he didn't feel good."
Kulikov has three goals and 11 points in 62 games with the Jets this season.
"He's happy here, he's got a role here, we're playing well. It's something that he wants to be a part of," said Maurice. "But the door isn't closed now. He's got to get back and get healthy. This is a tough rehab because you don't do much early on, then you get after it pretty good. Hopefully we're still playing hockey when he's ready to play."