WINNIPEG — One minute Dmitry Kulikov was feeling fine, the next moment he wasn't.
And now the Winnipeg Jets defenceman will undergo back surgery and miss at least eight weeks.
Jets coach Paul Maurice said following Saturday's practice it was the same injury Kulikov suffered last season while with the Buffalo Sabres.
Kulikov was hurt during Winnipeg's 3-2 victory over New Jersey on March 8 while taking a shot. After the inflammation went down, it was decided the nine-year veteran's best option was to fix the problem through surgery.
"It's tough for him," Maurice said. "Maybe it helped that it just happened so he didn't have to deal with it for three weeks and agonize whether he should be playing or not.
"He felt good. He took a shot and then all of a sudden he didn't feel good. Very difficult for him in that he's been through it (before)."
Winnipeg picked up the unrestricted free agent last July 1, signing the Russian to a three-year contract. He'd played seven seasons with Florida, but only 47 games with Buffalo after hurting his back when he was hit into an open door during a pre-season game.
Kulikov has been a steady force with the Jets, playing 62 games and collecting three goals and eight assists while being plus-6.
Maurice said an update on the 27-year-old will come in eight weeks during the NHL playoffs.
"Hopefully, we're still playing hockey when he's ready to play," Maurice said.
While it was more bad news for the injury-plagued Jets, there was something good to report on a trio of players.
Defenceman Toby Enstrom and centres Mark Scheifele and Adam Lowry could all return to action when the Jets (42-19-10) host the Dallas Stars (38-26-8) on Sunday.
All three were full participants in practice Saturday and it's a matter of seeing how they feel Sunday morning, Maurice said.
Scheifele was the recipient of a blindside hit from big defenceman Tyler Myers during a five-on-five drill.
"(Myers) was doing a great job at making sure I'm feeling good," Scheifele said with a wry smile.
Scheifele has missed the past five games after a "fluky collision" with teammate Blake Wheeler in a March 6 game against the New York Rangers. He confirmed it wasn't the same upper-body injury that kept him out for 16 games earlier this season.
Lowry has missed 19 games with an upper-body injury, while Enstrom has been out four games after blocking a shot in practice.
Winnipeg sits second in the Central Division, 10 points ahead of the Stars, who are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to Ottawa on Friday.
Judy Owen, The Canadian Press
