EDMONTON, Alberta – San Jose Sharks defenseman Cody Ceci won’t be getting a video tribute upon his return to Rogers Place on Saturday. He was solely with the Edmonton Oilers for 3 seasons, and his fashion doesn’t essentially lend itself to a spotlight reel packed filled with jaw-dropping sequences.
Nonetheless, Ceci figures to be acknowledged in some style. He was a part of three straight playoff runs with the Oilers, together with a visit to the Western Convention closing in 2022 and the Stanley Cup Last final 12 months.
Over 52 playoff video games with Edmonton, Ceci, celebrating his thirty first birthday Saturday, had 86 blocked photographs and 81 hits and averaged 19:34 in ice time.
“We had had a lot of fun there,” mentioned Ceci, who was traded by the Oilers to the Sharks in August. “Some good years, some good runs, so it’ll be cool going back. Definitely weird to be on the other side, but it’ll be a cool experience going back there.”
Apparently sufficient, the Oilers might be all for re-acquiring Ceci earlier than the NHL commerce deadline on March 7. However they may not be alone.
Ceci’s attributes, slot-blocking, penalty-killing, and playoff expertise determine to make him a sought-after — if unsexy — defenseman for playoff-contending groups. Ceci is within the closing 12 months of a four-year, $13 million contract he signed in Edmonton in July 2021 and is a pending unrestricted free agent.
The Sharks worth Ceci however should resolve whether or not to attempt to hold him on a longer-term deal or proceed to stockpile property for his or her ongoing rebuild. He’s certainly one of seven gamers on their roster who’re pending UFAs.
Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky mentioned gamers like Ceci are uncommon.
“Right shot defenseman, big, steady, good penalty killer that can kill plays. They’re extremely hard to find,” Warsofsky mentioned. “I’m sure (general manager) Mike (Grier) will have a decision to make, and obviously, we’d love him back just because of what he means to our dressing room and what he means to our back end, the type of person he is.
“He’s a veteran guy that can continue to improve.”
Ceci developed robust bonds in Edmonton.
“You spend that much time together, especially in the playoffs, where you’re pretty much just together with the team,” Ceci mentioned. “No one’s really out doing their own thing. Everyone’s just together, either in the hotel or dinners and stuff, so that’s when you get the closest and you’re going through something like that.”
Warsofsky has had the veteran blueliner on his prime pair all season lengthy. Going into Saturday, Ceci is second amongst all Sharks skaters in common time on ice (22:00) and is the workforce’s main penalty killer and shot blocker.
“He’s a real stabilizer back there,” Warsofsky mentioned, “A big right-shot defenseman and really good on the penalty kill. Gives you everything he’s got. He’s a real warrior when it comes to our D core back there. He plays through injuries … does the little details that people recognize. He’s giving us a big boost back there.”
VANECEK UPDATE: Warsofsky mentioned a path ahead for injured goalie Vitek Vanecek might be determined quickly.
“We’re going to have probably a couple more days here to make a decision and go from there,” Warsofsky mentioned.
Vanecek was struck within the face by a puck unexpectedly redirected into the workforce’s bench within the second interval of Tuesday night time’s recreation with the Winnipeg Jets.
Warsofsky mentioned Friday that Vanecek’s prognosis would grow to be higher identified after the veteran goalie visited with a specialist earlier this week. Vanecek had been thought-about week to week.
On Tuesday, Jets defenseman Colin Miller was carrying the puck out of his workforce’s zone early within the second interval when he despatched a cross-ice cross for protection associate Logan Stanley. Sharks ahead William Eklund acquired his stick on the puck, deflecting it excessive into the air earlier than Stanley, skating in entrance of the San Jose bench, tried to knock it down together with his stick. As an alternative, the puck was redirected proper into Vanecek’s face.
Vanecek was rapidly tended to by a Sharks’ coaching employees member and was led again into the workforce’s dressing room. The Sharks introduced early within the third interval that Vanecek wouldn’t be obtainable for the remainder of the sport.
The Sharks recalled goalie Yaroslav Askarov from the Barracuda on Wednesday morning.
Askarov will face the Oilers on Saturday as he makes his third begin of the season for the Sharks. In two NHL video games this 12 months, towards the St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings, Askarov is 1-0-1 with a .927 save share. In his first win for the Sharks on Nov. 25, Askarov stopped 22 of 24 photographs as San Jose beat Los Angeles 7-2 at SAP Heart.
Askarov and Alexander Georgiev will kind the Sharks’ goalie tandem for the foreseeable future, with their subsequent recreation on Monday towards the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Enviornment. After Christmas, the Sharks host the Vegas Golden Knights on Dec. 27, the Calgary Flames on Dec. 28 and the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 31.
Now Askaroiv must face Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for the primary time in his profession.
