EDMONTON, Alberta – San Jose Sharks defenseman Cody Ceci may not receive a video tribute in his return to Rogers Place on Saturday. He was only with the Edmonton Oilers for 3 seasons and his style doesn't exactly lend itself to a highlight reel filled with jaw-dropping sequences.
Still, Ceci seems one way or the other recognizable. He participated in three consecutive playoff runs with the Oilers, including a visit to the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and the Stanley Cup Finals last yr.
In 52 playoff games with Edmonton, Ceci, who celebrated his thirty first birthday on Saturday, had 86 blocked shots and 81 goals and averaged 19:34 of ice time.
“We had a lot of fun there,” said Ceci, who was traded from the Oilers to the Sharks in August. “Some good years, some good runs, so it will be cool to come back. It’s definitely strange being on the other side, but it will be a cool experience to go back there.”
Interestingly, the Oilers might be curious about reacquiring Ceci before the NHL trade deadline on March 7. But they is probably not alone.
Ceci's attributes, slot blocking, penalty killing and playoff experience make him a sought-after – if unsexy – defender for teams competing within the playoffs. Ceci is in the ultimate yr of the four-year, $13 million contract he signed in Edmonton in July 2021 and is a pending unrestricted free agent.
The Sharks value Ceci but must determine whether to attempt to retain him on a longer-term contract or proceed to build up assets for his or her ongoing rebuild. He is certainly one of seven players on their roster participating in UFAs.
Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said players like Ceci are rare.
“Right-hitting defender, tall, stable, good penalty killer who can kill plays. “They are extremely hard to find,” Warsofsky said. “I'm sure (general manager) Mike (Grier) has a decision to make, and obviously we would love him again just because of what he means to our locker room and what he means to our back end, that guy person he is.
“He’s a veteran who can continue to improve.”
Ceci developed strong bonds in Edmonton.
“You spend so much time together, especially in the playoffs, where you’re basically just with the team,” Ceci said. “No one really does their own thing. Everyone’s just together, either at the hotel or having dinner and stuff, so that’s the closest you get to going through something like that.”
Warsofsky has had the veteran blueliner on his top pair all season. Heading into Saturday, Ceci is second amongst all Sharks skaters in average time on ice (22:00) and is the team's leading penalty killer and shot blocker.
“He's a real stabilizer back there,” Warsofsky said, “a great right-shot defender and really good on the penalty kill.” Gives you all the things he's got. He's an actual warrior in the case of our D-core back there. He plays through injuries… recognizes the little details that individuals notice. He gives us an enormous boost back there.”
VANECEK UPDATE: Warsofsky said the trail forward for injured goalkeeper Vitek Vanecek might be decided soon.
“We'll probably have a few more days here to make a decision and go from there,” Warsofsky said.
Vanecek was hit within the face by a puck that unexpectedly deflected toward the team's bench through the second period of Tuesday night's game against the Winnipeg Jets.
Warsofsky said Friday that Vanecek's prognosis would turn out to be more widely known after the veteran goalie visited a specialist earlier this week. Vanecek was taken under consideration week after week.
On Tuesday, Jets defenseman Colin Miller moved the puck out of his team's zone early within the second period when he sent a cross-ice pass to defense partner Logan Stanley. Sharks forward William Eklund hit the puck together with his stick and deflected it high into the air before Stanley, running in front of the San Jose bench, tried to knock it down together with his stick. Instead, the puck was deflected directly into Vanecek's face.
Vanecek was quickly attended to by a Sharks training staff member and led back to the team's locker room. The Sharks announced early within the third period that Vanecek wouldn’t be available for the rest of the sport.
The Sharks recalled goaltender Yaroslav Askarov from the Barracuda on Wednesday morning.
Askarov and Alexander Georgiev will form the Sharks' goaltending tandem for the foreseeable future, with their next game being Monday against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena. After Christmas, the Sharks host the Vegas Golden Knights on December twenty seventh, the Calgary Flames on December twenty eighth and the Philadelphia Flyers on December thirty first.
Now Askaroiv has to face Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for the primary time in his profession.
“We have to defend the middle of the ice,” Warsofsky said. “Of course they have two superstars there and a really good team, so it will be important that we don’t heat them up with a few turnovers. And that means not in the news zone. That means in the attack zone, when we also have the puck, we let them defend. And then when we get in our own end and get a chance to get pucks out, we have to make sure we execute.”
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