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AHL Cleveland Monsters

Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Defenseman Dean Kukan to a Two-Year Contract Extension

March 14, 2018 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Cleveland Monsters News Release


COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed defenseman Dean Kukan to a two-year contract extension through the 2019-20 National Hockey League season, club General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced today. As is club policy, terms were not disclosed.

Kukan, 24, has registered four assists and two penalty minutes with a +3 plus/minus rating in 10 games with Columbus this season to raise his career NHL totals to 0-4-4, two penalty minutes and a +12 plus/minus rating in 18 outings. He collected his first NHL assist and point on January 30 vs. Minnesota and was even or plus in nine of 10 games before being sidelined the past 11 outings due to an upper body injury suffered on February 18 vs. Pittsburgh.

The Volketswil, Switzerland native has also recorded 1-14-15 and 20 penalty minutes in 32 games with the American Hockey League's Cleveland Monsters in 2017-18. He was selected to play in his first AHL All-Star Classic, but missed the game on recall to the Blue Jackets. He has posted 8-49-57 and 71 penalty minutes in 137 career AHL games with the Monsters and helped the club capture the 2016 Calder Cup championship. Kukan was signed by the Blue Jackets as a free agent in June 2015.

Prior to playing in North America, Kukan collected 8-21-29 with 26 penalty minutes and a +19 plus/minus rating in 125 career games with Lulea in the Swedish Hockey League from 2011-15. He notched 3-10-13 in 52 games in his second full season with the club in 2014-15. The blueliner has also represented Switzerland and numerous international tournaments, including the 2014, 2015 and 2017 IIHF World Championships and 2012 and 2013 IIHF World Junior Championships.

The Blue Jackets return to action on Thursday when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers. Game time from Wells Fargo Center is 7 p.m. ET. Live coverage on FOX Sports Ohio begins with the Blue Jackets Live pre-game show starting at 6:30 p.m. All Blue Jackets games televised on FOX Sports Ohio will also be streamed live via FOX Sports GO. The game may also be heard on the Eldorado Scioto Downs Blue Jackets Radio Network, CD102.5 FM in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com.

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