Kukan will sign with a team in Switzerland's National League for the 2022-23 campaign.
Kukan has yet to sign a contract with a Swiss team, but the ZSC Lions appear to be the front runner to land the 28-year-old defender. Assuming Kukan doesn't return to North America in the future, he'll finish his NHL career having collected five goals and 30 points through 153 appearances with the Blue Jackets.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Leads way in seven-goal outburst
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Kukan had two goals and an assist in Sunday's 7-3 win over the Sabres.
Kukan opened the scoring 4:47 into the opening frame and gave Columbus a 3-2 lead 3:28 into the second. He added a helper on Brendan Gaunce's tally later in the middle frame. Kukan came into this one with just three points in 16 games this season, so he doubled his point total with this productive effort. He's never cracked double-digit points in a season, so don't expect a repeat performance from the stay-at-home defenseman any time soon.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Collects helper in OT win
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Kukan picked up an assist in Thursday's overtime win over the Sabres.
Kukan has held down a fairly consistent spot on the blue line since returning from a fractured wrist in early January, playing in 11 of the Blue Jackets' last 15 games, but unsurprisingly that role hasn't translated into much production. The 28-year-old has one goal and three points in 13 total games on the season with 10 PIM, 11 hits, 12 blocked shots, 16 shots on goal and a plus-1 rating, but with Gavin Bayreuther (undisclosed) having to leave Thursday's win early, Kukan could be leaned on more heavily in the short term.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Returning against Bolts
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Kukan (wrist) will be in the lineup versus Tampa Bay on Tuesday, Blue Jackets team reporter Jeff Svoboda reports.
It will be the first game for Kukan, and just the second of the season, since Oct. 25 versus Dallas due to his wrist problem. Considering the defenseman managed just five points in each of the previous three campaigns, fantasy players probably shouldn't be banking on him playing a significant offensive role, even with Zach Werenski (COVID-19 protocols) unavailable.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Ruled out for Thursday
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Kukan (wrist) will not participate in Thursday's contest against Nashville, per Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers.
Kukan is still recovering from the wrist injury he suffered in October. The 28-year-old is no longer on injured reserve, though.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Practicing Sunday
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Kukan (wrist) was spotted in practice Sunday, according to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.
Kukan's appearance in practice is a positive sign, as he suffered a fractured wrist in late October. As a result of the injury, the Swiss defenseman has made just two appearances for Columbus in 2021-22.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Placed on IR
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Kukan suffered a fractured wrist in Monday's game against Dallas and was placed on injured reserve Tuesday. He's expected to miss eight weeks.
Kukan suited up in two games with Columbus this season, posting a plus-2 rating while averaging 14:49 of ice time. With this injury, he's expected to be out until at least late December and may not return until 2022. Adam Boqvist (undisclosed) or Scott Harrington should fill in during Kukan's absence.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Lights lamp in Tuesday's loss
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Kukan scored his first goal of the season on two shots in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the Stars.
The 27-year-old defenseman has been very productive lately by his standards, collecting four points in the last eight games while adding 10 blocked shots, nine hits, eight shots on goal and a plus-4 rating. He remains well behind Seth Jones and Zach Werenski for offensive opportunities on the Columbus blue line, but Kukan appears to be solidifying his spot in the regular lineup, a big step forward for a guy who has yet to play more than 33 NHL games in a single season.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Bags helper
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Kukan posted an assist in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Red Wings.
Kukan had a hand in getting the puck to the front of the net, where officials eventually ruled Alexandre Texier scored a goal without interfering with Red Wings netminder Jonathan Bernier. The assist is Kukan's first point in four games this year. The 27-year-old blueliner has added six blocked shots and a plus-1 rating from his third-pairing role. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect much from Kukan, whose career high in points in five, set in each of the last two seasons.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Cleared for postseason play
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Kukan (knee) will be ready to go when the Blue Jackets face off with the Maple Leafs in the playoffs, Blue Jackets team reporter Jeff Svoboda reports.
While Kukan will be available when the playoffs kick off, the fact that Seth Jones (ankle) is also cleared to play could land Kukan firmly in the press box. In 33 regular-season outings for Columbus this year, the 26-year-old notched one goal, four helpers and 51 shots while averaging a mere 15:58 of ice time. Even if he is in the lineup, the defenseman's limited offensive upside makes him a low-end option in DFS contests and a non-starter in playoff pools.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Begins skating
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Kukan (knee) has started skating and could return to action if the league resumes playing, according to general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers reports.
Kekalainen would only go so far as to say the team could have "most" of its injured players back, rather than specifically comment on Kukan's availability. Even if the blueliner is cleared to play, he could struggle to get into the lineup considering Seth Jones (ankle) is also near a return to action. The final spot on the blue line will likely come down to Kukan, Andrew Peeke or Markus Nutivaara.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Inks extension
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Kukan (knee) signed a two-year contract extension with Columbus on Friday.
Kukan has been out of the lineup since Jan. 2 versus Boston, a stretch of 13 games on injured reserve. The blueliner has notched just five points in 33 contests for the Blue Jackets this year. Given his limited offensive upside, the Switzerland native is unlikely to provide much in terms of fantasy value going forward.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Out indefinitely
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Kukan suffered a medial meniscus tear and articular cartilage injury during Thursday's game against Boston and is considered out indefinitely.
With Kukan set to miss extended time, Gabriel Carlsson should get an opportunity to hold onto a regular spot in the lineup, at least until Markus Nutivaara (upper body) is cleared to return. The 26-year-old's absence won't impact any fantasy owners, as he's only picked up five points while posting a minus-9 rating in 33 games this campaign, but it will undoubtedly test Columbus' blue-line depth. He'll be placed on injured reserve until he's ready to rejoin the lineup.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Pots first career goal
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Kukan scored a power-play goal in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Coyotes.
The defenseman had yet to light the lamp in 62 career NHL games coming into Tuesday, but you'd never know it based on his first goal -- Kukan took a cross-ice pass from Sonny Milano as he skated in from the blue line, then sniped the top corner over Darcy Kuemper's shoulder with a wicked wrist shot from the circle. With Zach Werenski (shoulder) sidelined, the Jackets are still trying to determine their best power-play alignments, and Kukan manned the point with Ryan Murray on the second unit in this one. Given his success, expect him to keep seeing time with the man advantage despite his limited offensive resume.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Stuck in press box
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Kukan was inactive for Saturday's win over the Hurricanes.
Rookie Vladislav Gavrikov has seized control of the sixth spot on the Jackets' deep blue line, leaving Kukan and Scott Harrington in the press box for now. Kukan scored five points, all assists, with a plus-6 rating in 25 games last season for the club.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Collects first points of campaign
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Kukan notched two even-strength assists in Tuesday's 6-3 win over Colorado.
Kukan's two helpers were his first and second points in the 2018-19 campaign. The 25-year-old has been stuck in a depth role through 11 games on the Columbus blue line, accumulating 12:46 time on ice per game. With no power-play time and limited ice time overall, this game doesn't change the fact that Kukan is still irrelevant in fantasy.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Stuck as depth piece
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Kukan heads into the All-Star break with zero points and a minus-1 rating in nine games on the season.
The Jackets' seventh defenseman hasn't had many opportunities to break into the game-day lineup, and he's already been sent to AHL Cleveland on a conditioning assignment once after spending too much time in the press box. Barring an injury ahead of him on the depth chart, Kukan's fortunes aren't likely to change much in the second half.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Returns from assignment
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Kukan was recalled from his conditioning stint in the minors Monday.
Kukan played five games with AHL Cleveland, in which he tallied two points and zero PIM. The defender is unlikely to break into the lineup right away, hence the need for his conditioning stint in the minors in the first place.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Heads out on assignment
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Kukan was reassigned to AHL Cleveland for a conditioning stint, the team announced Wednesday.
Kukan has appeared in just one of the Jackets' previous 19 outings and can now spend up to two weeks in the minors in order to get some game action. When he is in the lineup, the Swiss defender is logging a mere 12:21 of ice time and has zero points to show for it.
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Blue Jackets' Dean Kukan: Set to sit Tuesday
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Kukan will be a healthy scratch for Tuesday's game versus Colorado, Alison Lukan of The Athletic reports.
Scott Harrington is set to replace Kukan in the lineup, having just been activated off injured reserve. The 25-year-old Swiss-born rearguard failed to register a point in Columbus' first two games, posting a minus-1 rating.
