The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed defenseman Dean Kukan on Injured Reserve, club General Manager and Alternate Governor Jarmo Kekalainen announced today. Kukan will be sidelined indefinitely after suffering a medial meniscus tear and articular cartilage injury to his left knee in Thursday's 2-1 overtime win at Boston.

Kukan, 26, has collected one goal and four assists for five points with 12 penalty minutes, while averaging 15:58 of ice time in 33 games this season. In 77 career NHL games with Columbus, he has tallied 1-13-14, 20 penalty minutes and a +8 plus/minus rating. He made his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut in 2019, scoring a goal and adding two penalty minutes in 10 contests.

The 6-2, 192-pound native of Volketswil, Switzerland signed with the Blue Jackets as a free agent on June 1, 2015. He collected 9-50-59 and 71 penalty minutes in 142 career American Hockey League games with the Lake Erie/Cleveland Monsters and helped the club capture the 2016 Calder Cup championship. He has also represented Switzerland in numerous international competitions, including the 2015, 2017 and 2018 (silver medal) IIHF World Championships and the 2013, 2014 and 2015 IIHF World Junior Championships.

The Blue Jackets return to action on Saturday when they host the San Jose Sharks. Game time from Nationwide Arena is 1 p.m. ET. Live coverage on FOX Sports Ohio begins with the Blue Jackets Live pre-game show starting at 12:30 p.m. All Blue Jackets games televised on FOX Sports Ohio will also be streamed live via the FOX Sports app. The game can also be heard on the Eldorado Gaming Scioto Downs Blue Jackets Radio Network, including Sports Radio 97.1 FM The Fan in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com.