Dmitry Kulikov will miss five months after hip surgery for the Florida Panthers, joining Barkov (knee) out 7-9 months and Tkachuk (torn adductor) until December. Nosek is sidelined long-term, leaving Florida thinner on depth. Uvis Balinskis steps in, with Tobias Bjornfot recalled to bolster the blue line as the Panthers face Detroit in Detroit. Maurice emphasizes sharing the load when stars go down, and Balinskis must prove he can handle a larger role in the first test on the road.