COLUMBUS, Ohio --- The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed defensemen Blake Siebenaler and Dean Kukan to multi-year entry level contracts, club General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced Monday. Siebenaler signed a three-year deal, while Kukan was inked for two years. As is club policy, terms were not disclosed.
Siebenaler, 19, posted 12 goals and 25 assists for 37 points with 30 penalty minutes and a +7 plus/minus rating in 66 games with the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League in 2014-15. He finished second among club defensemen in goals, assists and points and third (tied) in plus/minus rating. He added 0-1-1 and eight penalty minutes in 11 playoff contests.
Siebenaler has recorded 18-49-67 and 54 penalty minutes in 134 career OHL games with the IceDogs. The 6-1, 190-pound native of Toledo, Ohio was Columbus' fourth pick, 77th overall, in the 2014 NHL Draft.
Kukan, 21, registered 3-10-13 with 14 penalty minutes and a +2 plus/minus rating in 52 games in his second full season with Luleå HF of Sweden's SHL and added 0-2-2 in seven playoff games in 2014-15. The 6-2, 209-pound defenseman has tallied 8-21-29, 26 penalty minutes and a +19 plus/minus rating in 125 career games with Luleå of the SHL, Sweden's top professional league. He collected 4-8-12, 12 penalty minutes and was +8 in 54 games during the 2013-14 campaign.
The Volketswil, Switzerland native has posted 2-7-9 with four penalty minutes in 34 appearances for Switzerland in international competition. He represented Switzerland at the 2014 and 2015 IIHF World Championships and also skated in the 2012 and 2013 IIHF World Junior Championships.
(Columbus Blue Jackets press release)
