Sabres' Dmitry Kulikov: Will make Sabres debut Friday

Kulikov took part in the morning skate Friday and will dress against Toronto.

Analysis:

Kulikov is expected to be a top-four, defense-first defenseman who will play a much bigger role in Buffalo than in Florida. He has just returned from the World Cup after playing for Team Russia, and should be able to jump right back into action despite missing the beginning of camp. Kulikov is expected to be paired with Rasmus Ristolainen on the top pairing, although Ristolainen remains without a contract at the moment. Kulikov's best feature is his steady, defensive play, so he remains a marginally valuable commodity in fantasy. He has eclipsed the 20-point mark just three times in seven seasons in the NHL.