Kukan fighting to keep his spot on the Jackets

Two years ago, Dean Kukan listened to offers from professional teams in Switzerland, thinking his NHL dream might be running out.

It was around Christmas in 2017, and the Swiss-born Blue Jackets defenseman had spent two-plus seasons playing predominantly in the American Hockey League.

“I was kind of close to saying, ‘OK, I’ll give it another month or two (here),’ and then I got a call-up here,” said Kukan, 26, who stayed with the Blue Jackets the remainder of that season and earned a two-year, one-way contract extension.

“After I stayed up here, I was like, ‘OK, if I’m going to be here, I’m not going to give up on it.’”

Kukan is still putting in hard work to make it happen. He is locked in a tight race with other Nhl-caliber hopefuls vying for a regular role on the blue line.

The others include Scott Harrington, Vladislav Gavrikov and Andrew Peeke — all defensemen with good size, shots and skating ability. Peeke has played well in scrimmages and his one Dean Kukan, right, hopes to win a spot among the Blue Jackets’ top six defensemen, but he has plenty of competition, including from Scott Harrington and Vladislav Gavrikov.

preseason appearance, but he might start out in the AHL with the Cleveland Monsters because it doesn’t require waivers to make that move.

That would still leave a tight race among Gavrikov, Kukan and Harrington for the lion’s share of minutes likely playing alongside Markus Nutivaara on the third pairing. Barring a trade that utilizes the Jackets’ depth on the back end to add draft picks, prospects or added punch up

front, it looks like a competition that could last into the season.

“We’ve got eight defensemen battling for six spots,” said assistant coach Brad Shaw, who runs the defense pairings on the bench. “That’s great for us. It’s great for them. It pushes them. We become a better team with all that internal competition.”

Kukan, who impressed in March last season and into the playoffs, hopes to add clarity to it.

“My main goal is to get a top-six defenseman spot,” he said. “That’s been my main goal since I came over here, and it’s my fifth (pro) season now and I haven’t given up. I’m still working on it.”

Early returns haven’t been great for a forward line the Blue Jackets hope will eventually click.

Alexander Wennberg centers the trio, which includes Oliver

Bjorkstrand at left wing and Gustav Nyquist— the Jackets’ biggest splash in free agency— on the right. They began skating together in scrimmages to open training camp, but in two exhibition games they haven't produced much.

Wennberg had impressive flashes Sunday in a 5-3 road loss to the St. Louis Blues, but Shaw — who ran the bench — had been hoping to see more.

“They should have a little more attack, a little more zip to their attack, and I would attribute that to still not quite getting into sync and getting up to pace with the puck,” Shaw said. “It’s the execution, it’s that final play. It’s that staying ahead of pressure, staying ahead of the defensive players to have a chance to continue on offense a little bit longer.”

Shaw said it’s possible the sluggish start for the trio is tied to tired legs, especially for Nyquist, who is going through his first training camp under the direction of coach John Tortorella.

The Blue Jackets didn’t practice Monday but did trim their camp roster by six more players.

Adam Clendening, Zac Dalpe, Markus Hannikainen and Ryan Macinnis were placed on waivers, with the intention of assigning them to Cleveland if they clear at noon Tuesday. Doyle Domerby and goalie Veini Vehvilainen were assigned to Cleveland.

The Blue Jackets are down to 28 players in camp. The roster maximum is 23 to start the season.