Blue Jackets activate Dean Kukan off Injured Reserve

COLUMBUS, OHIO ---The Columbus Blue Jackets have activated defenseman Dean Kukan, club General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced today. Kukan has missed the past 12 games due to an upper body injury suffered vs. Pittsburgh on February 18.
The 24-year-old blueliner has collected four assists and two penalty minutes with a +3 plus/minus rating in 10 games with the Blue Jackets this season to raise his career NHL totals to 0-4-4, two penalty minutes and +12 in 18 games. He made his NHL debut with the club in 2015-16 and was +9 in eight outings.

Kukan has registered 1-14-15 and 20 penalty minutes in 32 games with the Monsters in 2017-18 and was selected to play in his first AHL All-Star Classic, but missed the game on recall to the Blue Jackets. A native of Volketswil, Switzerland, he was signed by the Blue Jackets as a free agent in June 2015 and signed a two-year contract extension earlier this week. He has tallied 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.