The Florida Panthers and Buffalo Sabres started the second day of the 2016 NHL Draft with a bang.
Buffalo Sabres acquire defenseman Dmitri Kulikov from Florida Panthers
The Sabres upgrade their blue line.
John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
As the second round began, the Panthers agreed to trade defenseman Dmitri Kulikov to the Sabres in exchange for defenseman Mark Pysyk and some draft picks this year.
The #FlaPanthers get picks 38, 89 and Pysyk from #sabres for pick 33 and Kulikov.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 25, 2016
Kulikov's position with the Panthers became expendable after the team signed defenseman Keith Yandle to a seven-year contract this past week. Kulikov is a 25-year-old puck-moving defenseman who solves a left-handed gap on the Sabres' blue line. He projects as a decent second-pairing defenseman. Last season he had 17 points in 74 games.
Pysyk was Buffalo’s first round pick in 2010. He’s bounced around from their AHL affiliate to the pros ever since, but started to make an impact the last two seasons. The 24-year-old left-handed blueliner had 11 points in 55 games last year and will compete on a crowded young Panthers blue line.
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