The Blue Jackets have needs in this upcoming draft, particularly at the blue line, but it doesn’t seem like the front office is waiting for June 29th to fill them.
The signing of 2014 fourth round pick Blake Siebenaler to a three-year ELC wasn’t too much of a surprise, but Kukan is a bit of a wild card.
A 21 year old defenseman who has been playing for Lulea of the SEL, Kukan spent the last several years alternating between playing for his Swedish club and representing his country at the international level.
By the numbers, he looks like a solid stay at home type of defender, but he’s considered to be a good puck mover, so there may be more to his game once he gets a chance to play on the smaller North American ice – most likely rounding out the blue line for the Lake Erie Monsters.
I’d doubt that either signing will change the team’s game plan for the #8 pick, but if there’s a forward they like later in the second or third round, having both of these players locked into their defensive prospects may allow the team the freedom to take a swing.