Dean Kukan

Dean Kukan (born 8 July 1993) is a Swiss professional ice hockey player who is a defenceman for the ZSC Lions of the National League (NL). He is of Czech descent.

Playing career Kukan played in the 2006 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a youth team from Zürich. Undrafted, he made his European Elite debut during the 2010–11 season playing in the Swiss National League A with the ZSC Lions. After two seasons, Kukan left for Luleå HF in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

Kukan established a role on the blueline with Luleå HF over six seasons before using an NHL out-clause after the 2014–15 season, to sign a two-year entry-level contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets on 1 June 2015.

In the 2015–16 season, Kukan made his NHL debut on 26 March 2016, against the Nashville Predators at the Bridgestone Arena. He was reassigned to their AHL affiliate at the end of the Blue Jackets season and went on to win the 2016 Calder Cup.

On June 9, 2017, the Blue Jackets re-signed Kukan to a one-year, two-way extension. On February 7, 2020, Kukan was signed to a two-year contract extension by the Blue Jackets.

Following his seventh season in North America in , and despite recording career bests with 3 goals and 11 points through 41 games with the Blue Jackets, Kukan, an impending free agent, opted to return to his native Switzerland. He rejoined his original club, ZSC Lions, on 1 June 2022 on a five-year contract through 2027.

International play

Kukan participated at the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships as a member of the Switzerland men's national junior ice hockey team.

He represented Switzerland at the 2024 IIHF World Championship and won a silver medal.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2008–09 ZSC Lions SUI U17 27 1 2 3 4 10 0 5 5 4 2008–09 GCK Lions SUI U20 8 0 1 1 0 5 0 0 0 2 2009–10 GCK Lions SUI U20 13 1 5 6 2 9 0 4 4 2 2009–10 GCK Lions NLB 29 0 6 6 14 — — — — — 2010–11 GCK Lions SUI U20 2 0 1 1 0 10 0 0 0 6 2010–11 ZSC Lions NLA 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2010–11 GCK Lions NLB 37 1 2 3 4 — — — — — 2011–12 Luleå HF J20 42 5 16 21 8 3 0 2 2 2 2011–12 Luleå HF SEL 3 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2012–13 Luleå HF J20 11 2 1 3 2 — — — — — 2012–13 Luleå HF SEL 16 1 3 4 0 15 0 1 1 0 2012–13 Asplöven HC Allsv 2 0 0 0 4 — — — — — 2012–13 Tingsryds AIF Allsv 16 0 2 2 2 — — — — — 2013–14 Luleå HF SHL 54 4 8 12 12 6 1 1 2 0 2014–15 Luleå HF SHL 52 3 10 13 14 9 0 2 2 0 2015–16 Lake Erie Monsters AHL 33 3 10 13 8 17 1 4 5 2 2015–16 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 8 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2016–17 Cleveland Monsters AHL 72 4 25 29 43 — — — — — 2017–18 Cleveland Monsters AHL 32 1 14 15 20 — — — — — 2017–18 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 11 0 4 4 2 — — — — — 2018–19 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 25 0 5 5 6 10 1 0 1 2 2018–19 Cleveland Monsters AHL 5 1 1 2 0 — — — — — 2019–20 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 33 1 4 5 12 9 0 1 1 7 2020–21 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 35 1 4 5 10 — — — — — 2021–22 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 41 3 8 11 16 — — — — — 2022–23 ZSC Lions NL 49 7 24 31 8 9 2 3 5 6 2023–24 ZSC Lions NL 40 3 22 25 8 15 2 9 11 0 2024–25 ZSC Lions NL 51 8 16 24 22 16 3 5 8 14 SHL totals 125 8 21 29 26 30 1 4 5 0 NHL totals 153 5 25 30 46 19 1 1 2 9

International Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2010 Switzerland U18 5th 6 0 3 3 0 2011 Switzerland U18 7th 6 0 2 2 0 2012 Switzerland WJC 8th 6 1 1 2 0 2013 Switzerland WJC 6th 6 0 1 1 2 2014 Switzerland WC 10th 7 1 0 1 2 2015 Switzerland WC 8th 3 0 0 0 0 2017 Switzerland WC 6th 8 0 1 1 2 2018 Switzerland WC 10 1 2 3 0 2022 Switzerland WC 5th 8 2 4 6 0 2023 Switzerland WC 5th 7 0 4 4 4 2024 Switzerland WC 10 1 2 3 6 2025 Switzerland WC 10 1 8 9 2 2026 Switzerland OG 5th 5 1 2 3 2 2026 Switzerland WC 10 1 3 4 31 Junior totals 24 1 7 8 2 Senior totals 78 8 26 34 31

Awards and honors Awards Year AHL Calder Cup (Lake Erie Monsters) 2016 AHL All-Star game 2018 NL Champion (ZSC Lions) 2024, 2025 Swiss All-Star team 2024, 2025 All-Star team 2025 International Champions Hockey League Champion (Luleå HF) 2015 IIHF World Championship Silver Medal 2018, 2024, 2025 IIHF World Championship All-Star team 2025