Dean Kukan was born on July 8, 1993 in Volketswil, Switzerland. Undrafted by an NHL club, Kukan plied his trade in Sweden for six seasons before signing as a free agent with the Columbus Blue Jackets on June 1, 2015.
Kukan made his North American debut debut for the Blue Jackets' AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, during the 2015-16 season. In 33 games for the club he scored three goals and added 10 assists. Kukan would also get his first taste of NHL action during the 2015-16. He made his NHL debut on March 26, 2016, in a 5-1 loss to the Nashville Predators. He would go on to appear in eight games for the club as the season came to a close. Kukan was then returned to the Monsters and went on to help the club capture the 2016 Calder Cup.
On the international stage, Kukan represented Switzerland on numerous occasions, including the 2013 World Junior Championship and the 2015 World Championship.
