SAN JOSE – From the time the San Jose Sharks acquired Cody Ceci from the Edmonton Oilers in August, there has at all times been the chance that the pending unrestricted free agent might be flipped on the NHL commerce deadline for future property.
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One other chance for the Sharks is re-signing Ceci, and the veteran defenseman stated Monday he would love to stay round San Jose previous this season.
With two months left earlier than the NHL commerce deadline on March 7, the right-shot Ceci stated he’s greater than open to signing a contract extension with the rebuilding Sharks, who he feels are headed in a constructive course.
“It’s always a big decision,” the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Ceci informed Bay Space Information Group, of the place to proceed his profession. “The group goes to do what’s greatest for them, and I’m going to do what’s greatest for myself. I’ve actually loved my time right here thus far. I’d love to remain and work with this group and see what we will do sooner or later.
“The future is bright with some of these young guys, and I’d love to stay and be a part of it.”
Ceci, who turned 31 on Dec. 21, is second amongst all Sharks skaters this season in common time on ice (22:02), as he’s shaped one-half of the staff’s high protection pair, primarily with Jake Walman, however lately with Henry Thrun.
Going into Tuesday’s residence sport towards the Vegas Golden Knights, Ceci, who superior to the Stanley Cup Last with the Oilers final season, leads the Sharks in shorthanded time on ice (132:33) and blocked pictures (73).
Saturday, Ceci scored his third objective of the season late within the interval, serving to the Sharks earn a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils.
“The role I’m in now is a big role, and it’s a lot of fun,” Ceci stated. “It’s a good opportunity for me, and I think it’s a good opportunity for the organization to use me now in that role and later down the road with some young guys.”
Ceci stated there haven’t been any contact extension talks with Sharks common supervisor Mike Grier however is hopeful these conversations will be had by later this month or early February. The Sharks don’t play from Feb. 9-22 because the NHL breaks for the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Ceci is within the remaining 12 months of a four-year, $13 million contract he signed with the Oilers as a free agent in July 2021. He stated he’d wish to signal a brand new take care of an identical time period.
“I think that would be good, put me into my mid-30s,” Ceci stated. “I think that would be something we’re looking at.”
From a positional and organizational standpoint, it will be straightforward to see Ceci becoming in with the Sharks long-term. The opposite right-shot defensemen on San Jose’s roster are Jan Rutta, one other pending UFA, and Timothy Liljegren, who’s signed by means of subsequent season however has primarily been utilized in a middle-pair position.
The Sharks really feel Jack Thompson and fellow right-shot defenseman Sam Dickinson have vivid futures, however it will be an excessive amount of to ask both to fill a top-pair position within the NHL subsequent season.
Henry Thrun and Shakir Mukhamadullin are additionally rising, however each are left-shot defensemen.
After the Sharks acquired Ceci and a 2025 third-round draft decide from the Oilers for defenseman Ty Emberson, Grier talked about that buying and selling Ceci “might be an possibility. Nevertheless it additionally might be the place we actually benefit from the participant and assume he suits in effectively with our group, and he likes it right here, and it turns into one thing the place he can find yourself being a companion for a few of our younger (defensemen) coming alongside.
“We’ll just have to see how the season plays out.”
Ceci’s attributes of being a giant, slot-blocking, penalty-killing, and playoff-experienced right-shot defenseman determine to make him a sought-after commerce goal for some postseason-contending groups. However those self same attributes might additionally make him somebody Grier and the Sharks wish to attempt to preserve round.
“He’s just a true pro in every sense of the word,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky stated of Ceci.
“The best way he takes care of himself, the best way he competes on a nightly foundation, the best way he trains within the health club, performs by means of the bumps and bruises, and his id as a defenseman on this league doesn’t waver very a lot.
“He’s been a big key for us to show the younger defenseman how to play at this level, night in and night out.”
Whereas the Sharks are usually not in playoff rivalry this season and won’t be for no less than one other 12 months or two, Ceci feels the staff is trending in the appropriate course.
“When you have guys coming back each year already familiar with the systems and the way things are, you lose that adjustment period where you’re trying to figure things out, and you’re losing games,” Ceci stated. “So I think the more you keep guys around, the better it gets year after year.”
GRUNDSTROM UPDATE: Winger Carl Grundstrom was a full participant in Monday’s observe and might be an choice to play towards the Golden Knights on Tuesday, Warsofsky stated, because the Sharks shut out a six-game homestand.
Grundstrom was injured within the first interval of the Sharks’ sport towards the Calgary Flames on Dec. 28 as he absorbed an open-ice hit within the impartial zone from defenseman Brayden Pachal. Grundstrom left the sport and was positioned on injured reserve final Thursday to create a roster spot for defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who made his season debut that evening. The Grundstrom transaction was retroactive to Dec. 29.
The Sharks would wish to make a corresponding transfer to activate Grundstrom, who has 5 factors in 30 video games this season. One answer could be to position middle Nico Sturm on IR. Sturm was injured in final Thursday’s sport towards the Tampa Bay Lightning when he blocked a shot from Darren Raddysh and didn’t observe Monday.
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