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Cody Ceci

Snapshots: World Championship, Grzelcyk, Ceci

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The medal games have been set at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.  After Latvia and Germany were able to pull off significant upsets to get to the semi-finals, one of them was able to do so again as the Germans scored late in the third to tie it at three send their game against Team USA to overtime, paving the way for former Pittsburgh prospect Frederik Tiffels to score the winner late in the extra session.  Meanwhile, in the first semi-final, the presumptive second-overall pick next month, Adam Fantilli, picked up the winner in the third period as Canada doubled up the Latvians 4-2.  Latvia and the US will face off for Bronze while Germany and Canada will battle for Gold with both games slated for Sunday.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic examines (subscription link) some potential trade options for the Bruins this summer, including defenseman Matt Grzelcyk. The 29-year-old has been a capable secondary producer offensively for the past several seasons, including notching a career-high 26 points in 75 games in 2022-23.  However, his $3.6875MM AAV is a bit on the high side relative to his ice time which is that of a player on the third pairing and with the team facing quite a cap crunch this summer, Grzelcyk is a luxury they might not be able to afford.  He, along with fellow left-shot defenders Derek Forbort and Mike Reilly, are all a year away from unrestricted free agency and there’s a good chance one of them, if not more, will be on the move in the coming months.
  • While the Oilers will need to free up some cap space to re-sign Evan Bouchard and round out their roster this summer, David Staples of the Edmonton Journal argues that one of those money-saving moves shouldn’t involve moving defenseman Cody Ceci. The 29-year-old still has two years left on a contract that carries a $3.25MM price tag and saw his output dip from 28 to 15 points this season while seeing his playing time go down slightly as well.  However, the fact that he can still handle second-pairing minutes remains valuable on a team that has some unproven defenders and others that are best served with limited ice time so if they can find a way to cut costs elsewhere, that might be a better way for them to go.

West Notes: Ceci, Demers, Bortuzzo

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Mark Spector of Sportsnet reports some lineup shuffling is happening with the Edmonton Oilers, but in good news, it is not due to any injuries. First of all, Spector says Cody Ceci has returned to Edmonton, even though the team is in California preparing to take on the San Jose Sharks tomorrow night. The reason Ceci is leaving the team is because he is expecting his first child to arrive and he will head back to Alberta to be with his growing family.

Ceci has averaged over 20 minutes of ice time per game this season, and has played in all 79 contests so far. The 29-year-old right-defenseman has scored one goal and 14 points while carving out a role as a defensive presence in the team’s top four this season. His status should not be in question for the beginning of the postseason.

  • In Ceci’s place, again according to Mark Spector of Sportsnet, will be veteran defenseman Jason Demers. The 34-year-old defenseman has not played an NHL game since the 2020-21 season when he was with the Arizona Coyotes. He played just five games last season in the KHL as well as five games at the Olympics, and has spent this entire season in the AHL with the Bakersfield Condors. Spector notes that Demers plans on retiring following this season, but first he will get a chance to suit up in his 700th career NHL game in Ceci’s absence.
  • Lou Korac of NHL.com reports that St. Louis Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo is currently away from the team. Korac mentions Bortuzzo had a family matter to attend to in Toronto and will be back with the Blues on Sunday. Bortuzzo has also missed the team’s last five games while dealing with an upper-body injury but as Korac notes, he has not been ruled out of a pair of games next week against the Dallas Stars that will bring the Blues season to a close.

Oilers Notes: McLeod, Smith, Koekkoek

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There are only a handful of restricted free agents left to sign and it appears as though at least one will come off the board rather soon. Ryan McLeod was at the Edmonton Oilers practice facility to undergo his preseason medical testing, and general manager Ken Holland told reporters including Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic that he hopes the young forward will be on the ice tomorrow.

McLeod, 23, scored 21 points in 71 games as a rookie last season and was a strong defensive presence in the playoffs, averaging more than 14 minutes a night and adding four points. Selected 40th overall in 2018, his emergence as a legitimate option down the middle of the ice is a huge reason why the Oilers lineup looks deeper than it has in years. Holland expects to sign McLeod to a one-year deal because of cap restraints.

  • The team is currently over the salary cap, but as expected, Mike Smith will join Oscar Klefbom on long-term injured reserve to start the year. Smith took his physical this week and failed, according to Holland, and has now returned to his home in Kelowna. Smith, 40, is heading into the final year of his contract and is not expected to play professional hockey again.
  • Slater Koekkoek, meanwhile, has left the Oilers for a different reason. The 28-year-old defenseman has left the team for the time being to work on his mental health but still has the goal of returning at some point. Holland and the entire organization are in full support of Koekkoek’s decision. In his absence – and that of Cody Ceci, who will miss the first few days with a hamstring strain – the team brought in Jason Demers on a professional tryout.

Oilers Cancel Practice, Add Ceci To COVID Protocol

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The Edmonton Oilers have canceled today’s practice for precautionary reasons after Cody Ceci was placed in the COVID protocol. The team is currently scheduled to play the Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow night. Interestingly, Duncan Keith has also been moved to injured reserve, despite making an appearance on the ice yesterday. The team has recalled Markus Niemelainen in the meantime.

Ceci, 27, has been a huge part of the Oilers team this season, averaging more than 20 minutes a night through the first 20 games. In fact, those numbers have increased dramatically since Keith and Darnell Nurse went out, with Ceci averaging over 23 minutes in his last five. Some may suggest that he’s done well in those minutes, given the team has won four of those five, but Ceci is one of the few players on the Oilers roster who has been outscored at even-strength.

In fact, he’s been on the ice for more goals against (18) than anyone else on Edmonton’s roster this season. While some of that has to do with Ceci’s heavy usage and defensive zone deployment, he’s still not putting up very impressive analytical numbers. Even so, Edmonton can’t afford to lose him for ten days, which is what he’ll miss at a minimum if he’s tested positive for coronavirus and is experiencing any symptoms. Already the team was using a 20-year-old Philip Broberg in key minutes and now may see Niemelainen make his NHL debut.

The 23-year-old defenseman was a third-round pick of the Oilers back in 2016, but is in just his second season in North America. In 2020-21 he came over to the Bakersfield Condors and showed why he was a reliable option in Finland, using his 6’5″ frame to effectively end rushes. In 21 games he also added six points, nearly reaching his career-high from Liiga in far fewer games. This season he has three points in 14 games, but at least appears ready to add some defensive ability to the NHL squad, should they need it right away.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Edmonton Oilers To Sign Cody Ceci

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As expected, the Edmonton Oilers have added Cody Ceci to the mix according to Darren Dreger of TSN. The veteran defenseman has signed a four-year deal that will carry an average annual value of $3.25MM. The Oilers moved out Ethan Bear earlier today to make room for Ceci and the re-signed Tyson Barrie.

The Oilers are hoping that having Barrie and Ceci lead the right side of their defense works out better than it did for the Toronto Maple Leafs not long ago. Obviously, the team is already familiar with Barrie, but they are taking a risk on Ceci. Edmonton is banking on Ceci playing like he did this past season in Pittsburgh for the next four years and not like how he played in Toronto and Ottawa before that. The Penguins succeeded with Ceci in not asking him to do too much and letting him focus on just playing competent defense in limited minutes and against less difficult match-ups. At $3.25MM and on a longer term deal than any other Edmonton defense, it does not seem like the Oilers plan to let Ceci sit back and play a depth role. They risk poor results if they push him into too great a role, trying to replace the departed Adam Larsson, which could make this a difficult contract for the team.

Ceci, 27, may have learned enough from his season in Pittsburgh that he can try again at serving in a top-four role. Ceci averaged 21:25 per game through his first six full NHL seasons, during which time he was a combined -48 rating. This year, he played just 18:31 per game and earned a +18 rating. While moving the puck will likely never be a strength of Ceci’s, perhaps he is ready to take on more of a shutdown approach if handed more minutes. How the Oilers choose to use Ceci will almost certainly dictate whether he is able to succeed in Edmonton.

Snapshots: Beniers, Ceci, Forrest, Killorn

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Back in the spring, presumptive number one pick Owen Power raised some eyebrows when he suggested he was leaning towards staying at Michigan over turning pro.  He may not be the only prominent Wolverine to do so as Matthew Beniers told NHL.com’s Mike Morreale (Twitter links) that he is leaning towards doing the same as well.  Beniers is viewed by many as the top center available in this draft class but unlike Power, he may not quite be NHL-ready just yet so more time in college seems like a wise idea.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

  • The Penguins would like to retain pending UFA defenseman Cody Ceci this summer but they’ll have to cut some payroll to make that happen. GM Ron Hextall told Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that they’d have to move out some money to have a shot at bringing the veteran back.  The 27-year-old had a nice bounce-back year, notching 17 points in 53 games while logging 18:31 per night, a number that jumped to over 22 minutes a game in the playoffs.  He wound up being a strong bargain for Pittsburgh at $1.25MM and has earned a raise but with over $78MM in commitments already per CapFriendly and a handful of roster spots that still need to be filled, some roster juggling will be needed to make that happen.
  • Penguins AHL coach J.D. Forrest has been selected to coach the United States at the upcoming Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, relays Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The tournament features many draft-eligible players each year although Canada is opting not to participate this season given travel concerns.  Forrest has been with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the past five years with this season being his first as head coach.
  • Lightning winger Alex Killorn made the trip to Montreal as the Stanley Cup Final continues, notes Mari Faiello of the Tampa Bay Times. He missed yesterday’s game after blocking a shot late in the second period but while Killorn flew out with the team, head coach Jon Cooper wouldn’t commit to providing an update on whether or not the veteran will be available for Friday’s third game of the series.

Offseason Checklist: Pittsburgh Penguins

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The offseason has arrived for all but a few teams.  It’s now time to examine what those clubs need to accomplish over the coming months.  It’s going to be a busy summer. What is on deck for the Pittsburgh Penguins?

The Pittsburgh Penguins finished first in what was arguably the best division in the NHL this season. The East boasted the likes of the Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, and even the New York Rangers, the best team not to make the playoffs. Yet, Pittsburgh finished with 77 points for the fifth-best record in the league despite stiff competition. It seemed like Sidney Crosby and company were primed for another deep playoff run this season. Instead, it all came crashing down quickly in a first-round loss to the Islanders in which Pittsburgh could not counter New York’s smothering approach. The Penguins’ weaknesses were exposed in the postseason and must be addressed in the offseason, but the team currently lacks the flexibility to do much of anything.

Shed Salary

The Penguins cannot start adding until they do some subtracting. Pittsburgh is currently pegged to have just $3.2MM in salary cap space heading into the off-season, a projection that includes just 19 contracts. Forget improving the roster, Pittsburgh needs to create cap space just to preserve their current roster, as key restricted free agents Teddy Blueger and Zach Aston-Reese require new contract and the team will likely try to re-sign impending UFA defenseman Cody Ceci as well. Those three alone will cost well more than $3.2MM.

The Penguins could actually receive some help from the Expansion Draft – if they are lucky. Pittsburgh is likely to expose both forward Jason Zucker and defenseman Marcus Pettersson in expansion; the pair are talented players, but underperformed in 2020-21, especially relative to their substantial contracts. Either player would be a loss for the team, but the added cap space would more than make up for the departure.

If the Seattle Kraken instead grab Aston-Reese, Blueger, or Jeff Carter, the Penguins will be in trouble. Even if the pick is Zucker or Pettersson, new GM Ron Hextall will still likely work the phones in an effort to move some salary. Again, Zucker and Pettersson are both good players and the Penguins will not just give them away, but they could be had for a bargain price this summer as Pittsburgh is desperate to shed salary.

Add a Goaltender

What will the Penguins do if they can open up cap space? Hextall, a former goalie himself, has already hinted that adding a veteran netminder is a priority for Pittsburgh this offseason. It is difficult to look at the team’s postseason collapse and not attribute much of the blame to starter Tristan Jarry. The young keeper followed up a stellar 2019-20 season with a decent regular season this year, but he struggled greatly in the postseason and kept the Penguins out of several games. Backup Casey DeSmith actually outplayed Jarry this season, albeit in lesser games, but he himself is also streaky. More importantly, DeSmith is injury-prone and is not a reliable understudy to Jarry. The Penguins need a reliable veteran presence to push their young starter.

Of course, the popular prediction is going to be old friend Marc-Andre Fleury. The Vegas Golden Knights are also looking to shed salary and who better than Fleury, coming off an incredible season, to return to Pittsburgh to stabilize the net before he rides off into the sunset, retiring as Penguin. It all sounds great, but Pittsburgh taking on Fleury’s $7MM salary is an impossibility and Vegas retaining considerable salary, if any, is unlikely. A return for Fleury is probably not going to happen, but the shared history means it can’t be ruled out compeltely.

More reasonable targets include free agents  Frederik Andersen, Jonathan Bernier, James Reimer, Antti Raanta, Jaroslav Halak or Devan Dubnyk. Even a young UFA like Linus Ullmark or Chris Driedger could see Pittsburgh as a good opportunity to win a starting role and prove they can be a top option. If the Penguins are lucky, the market may actually drive down the salary requirements if there are a number of goalies interested in a great situation to win games and have an open competition in net. While free agency seems like the more viable route, trade options will be numerous and the Expansion Draft could shake up the market. Anton Khudobin stands out as an ideal trade candidate.

Improve the Bottom Six

Another area where Hextall and company have been open about their desire to improve is in their forward corps. The Penguins have no problem scoring, but their two-way play up front was a major concern this season. For Pittsburgh to take a step forward and return to postseason success, they must become harder to play against. That starts with getting better defensive play and physical engagement from their forwards. Hextall has harped on the Penguins needing to be more physical and has talked about adding size and grit this off-season, but it’s more than that. Pittsburgh was poor on the penalty kill this season, did not block shorts (particularly at forward) and their issues at the face-off dot continued through the regular season and into the playoffs. In nearly all facets of defensive play, the Penguins must improve.

With that said, retaining the likes of Blueger and Aston-Reese through expansion, getting a full season of Carter, and getting a healthy season from Brandon Tanev is already a great start to improved bottom-six play. The roster does not need a complete overhaul to improve team defense. That doesn’t mean that they can’t add another impact player though. Mark Jankowski, Evan Rodrigues, and Colton Sceviour were not the answer this season and all three are on their way out of town. The Penguins need to use what little cap space they may have left after re-signing their key free agents and adding a goalie to add another veteran difference-maker to round out the bottom-six.

Decide the Future of Malkin and Letang

What is to become of the Penguins’ long-time core? Crosby is still as good as ever and still signed for several years, but Malkin and Letang are entering the final years of their current contracts. Malkin is coming off a down year by his standards and will spend all summer rehabbing from an injury. Letang continues to show signs of slow but steady decline and is not playing up to his $7.25MM price tag. Yet, both players are still major contributors to the team and franchise icons. The new administration has vowed to stick with them, but for how long? Do they enter the season on expiring contracts and deal with the repercussions? Do they sign them to extensions this summer despite the concerns? Do they trade one? Both? There are major questions that need answering about the veteran stars. The front office does not want to hurt themselves in the short-term by moving on too soon from either one, but they also don’t want to hamstring themselves long-term by throwing out new contracts that aren’t necessarily warranted. It’s a difficult decision and one that will weigh on the team this summer.

 

 

Trade Rumors: Penguins, Mete, Bjork

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Amidst the shocking news that Jim Rutherford had resigned as GM of Pittsburgh Penguins, it is easy to forget that this was a team that less than a week ago was reported as being active on the trade market. While ownership suddenly needs to focus on the long-term welfare of the franchise by finding a new GM, the Penguins are still in need of defense in the short-term. While Rutherford’s final move was to find a stopgap in free agent addition Yannick Weber, that might not be enough. The Pittsburgh blue line has been devastated by injuries early this season with Michael Matheson, Juuso Riikola, and Zach Trotman on injured reserve, Marcus Pettersson also officially out, and Brian Dumoulin injured in last night’s game. Even the thought-to-be-healthy John Marino was missing at practice today. What’s left is a group that is almost entirely right-handed, including the newcomer Weber, and includes a struggling Cody Ceci and an untested rookie in Pierre-Olivier Joseph. The Penguins need to to continue to be on the look out for help on the back end. With that said, NBC Sports’ Adam Gretz doubts that interim GM Patrick Allvin will have the authority to make a trade, until they potentially remove the interim tag that is. In the meantime, can the Penguins afford to stand pat in a shortened season facing tougher playoff odds and a more difficult division? Can they withstand extended absences from their current injured defenders? Unless owner Mario Lemieux decides to step in and pull the strings while also making a decision on his next GM, they may not have an option but to stick it out.

  • Through their first six games of the season, the Montreal Canadiens have yet to lose in regulation and have earned 10 of a possible 12 points. Everyone in Montreal is happy so far this year, that is except defenseman Victor Mete. With the team rolling on all cylinders, the Habs have had no reason to change out their starting six defenseman. In fact, there has been only one lineup change among skaters for one single game thus far. The Canadiens do not want to lose the promising, young Mete on waivers, but so far that has left 22-year-old sitting in the press box for every game. If Montreal continues to win and stay healthy, then there is also no reason for that to change. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has taken notice and he’s not alone. Friedman reports that there is interest in Mete across the league and offers will be coming to Montreal soon, if they haven’t already. After losing Noah Juulsen on waivers earlier this year, the Habs may be hesitant to part with another young defenseman whose career has been impacted by injuries but could be primed for a breakout. However, if Mete won’t get any opportunity to shine in Montreal, they may as well move him. After all, he will likely be available for free to the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft anyway.
  • If there is one thing that has quietly defined the Don Sweeney administration in Boston, it is that they are not afraid to move young forwards who are unable to carve out a consistent role in the lineup. In consecutive years, the Bruins have traded away Frank Vatrano, Ryan Donato, and Danton Heinen, each of whom was struggling and bouncing around the lineup prior to being moved. Now, Anders Bjork could be the next name on that list. The team has liked the upside of Bjork, 24, and made that clear with a three-year, $4.8MM contract this summer. However, injury and inconsistency has made it hard to get a good look at the player. Now healthy and in the starting lineup through six games this season, that look hasn’t been good. Bjork has played on several different lines and with different line mates but nothing has clicked. He has zero points and just two shots on goal and hasn’t made a major impact defensively either. With the emergence of rookies Jack Studnicka and Trent Frederic as NHL-ready assets and the upcoming injury returns of David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase, there won’t be space left in the lineup for Bjork. Multiple sources are now reporting that in anticipation of this result, interest is growing in the young winger. Bjork may not be a fit in Boston right now, but as a player with positional and two-way versatility and under team control for several years, a number of teams could be interested in taking a chance. With a lineup that is looking pretty complete so far this season, Bjork may also come cheap with the Bruins opting for a pick or prospect rather than a roster player in return.

Penguins Sign Cody Ceci

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The Penguins have added some defensive depth to the right side of their back end as they announced the signing of Cody Ceci to a one-year contract.   The deal is worth $1.25MM, a significant drop from the $4.5MM he made last season.  GM Jim Rutherford released the following statement about his new acquisition:

Cody is a two-way defenseman who plays with size and a speed game that fits our system well. He brings both regular season and playoff experience, and can be utilized on the penalty kill.

The 26-year-old was able to hit the open market a year earlier than most as he has seven NHL seasons under his belt.  He spent last season with Toronto after they acquired him from Ottawa last summer and his role decreased as a result as he averaged 20:32 per night, his lowest ATOI in four years.  With the Maple Leafs also having more offensively-gifted options in front of him, he wasn’t put in many offensive situations either and as a result, Ceci managed just a goal and seven assists in 56 regular season games.

While he is known for some untimely defensive lapses, Ceci should be able to provide some more minutes than the Penguins have typically received from their third pairing as Kris Letang and John Marino are ahead of him on the depth chart.  At first glance, he could be lining up alongside fellow newcomer Mike Matheson who was recently acquired from Florida.  Jack Johnson (buyout) and Justin Schultz (free agency) have both moved on from last year.

Ceci was ranked 30th on our Top 50 UFA list and while his first trip in unrestricted free agency didn’t yield the type of contract he was certainly looking for, a good season with Pittsburgh could help restore some value before hitting the open market next offseason still as one of the youngest blueliners available.  Meanwhile, the Penguins have a little over $1.3MM in cap space remaining per CapFriendly with a full roster.  That doesn’t leave much more room for offseason additions but if they carry that much into next year, they should have a decent cushion built up closer to the trade deadline.

TSN’s Darren Dreger was the first to report the contract.

Snapshots: Chayka, Ryan, Ceci

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There’s a new Chayka in the news. No, not John Chayka the former Arizona Coyotes executive that left his position earlier this summer, but Daniil Chayka, one of the top prospects for the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The 17-year-old Russian forward will be heading home to continue his development, signing with the CSKA organization for the 2020-21 season.

Chayka was the seventh overall pick in the 2018 OHL draft after playing a year in the GTHL and has spent the last two seasons with the Guelph Storm. He won gold at the most recent Hlinka-Gretzky Cup with Russia and had 34 points in 56 games for Guelph this season.

  • Speaking of heading home, Bobby Ryan recently spoke on the possibility of playing for the Philadelphia Flyers now that he is an unrestricted free agent. The Cherry Hill, New Jersey native told NBC Sports that he’d basically take any chance to play for the team he grew up cheering for, saying “if the Flyers were to make an offer or extend a camp invite, they’d move high on my list because of all the connections.” Ryan has already drawn interest from other teams after seeing the final year of his contract with the Ottawa Senators bought out last week.
  • Cody Ceci won’t be returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs next season, at least not until he checks out the free agent market. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that Ceci will become an unrestricted free agent on October 9 when the market opens, though does suggest that he could circle back to the Maple Leafs eventually.

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