Panthers Recall Toby Bjornfot; Status of Mikkola, Ekblad in Question

The Florida Panthers have recalled Toby Bjornfot from AHL Charlotte amid injuries to Aaron Ekblad and Niko Mikkola.

Photo courtesy of FortunateNeil (Twitter)

With Aaron Ekblad’s status for Monday night’s game in Denver in question, the Florida Panthers recalled defenseman Toby Bjornfot from AHL Charlotte.

Ekblad only took two shifts after taking a hooking penalty with 10:12 to go in regulation of the Panthers’ 3-2 shootout win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. He did not play in overtime nor in a crucial penalty kill late in the game.

Florida coach Paul Maurice said that he had “expected Ekblad to be a player“ for his team on Monday night against the Colorado Avalanche, calling his ailment “general body, malaise” and left it at that after the star defenseman did not skate during Sunday morning’s practice.

Niko Mikkola, a mainstay on the team’s blue line, returned to the ice for practice after missing the past four games with an injury. This move could mean even his status for Monday is up in the air.

Updates on both players will come after the team takes the ice for a 1:30 p.m. EST morning skate ahead of the 9 p.m. EST puck drop.

In practice on Sunday, Dmitry Kulikov lined up on the top pairing next to Gustav Forsling while Mikkola returned to his spot on the second pair alongside Uvis Balinskis.

If Mikkola isn’t ready to go, one of Nate Schmidt or Adam Boqvist could join Balinskis on the second pair while Bjornfot slots in on the hard pairing next to either one of those two options.

Bjornfot, 23, has yet to play an NHL game this season — recording two goals and 11 points with a plus/minus of minus-1 in the AHL — after appearing in one game for the Panthers last season.

Stay tuned to PucksAndPalms.com for more updates on the status of the Panthers’ lineup heading into Monday’s 9 p.m. EST clash with the Colorado Avalanche.