Sharks’ Cody Ceci breaks silence with ‘unsettling’ take after Oilers trade

The San Jose Sharks added more veteran depth on the blueline on Monday. The Sharks traded for defenseman Cody Ceci in a deal made with the Edmonton Oilers. San Jose also added a 2025 third-round pick while sending defenseman Ty Emberson to Edmonton.

It’s certainly an interesting trade given the timing. The Oilers had a chance to match offer sheets extended by the St. Louis Blues on Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway as a result of the move. They decided against matching those offers, though. Holloway and Broberg are now St. Louis Blues.

For the Sharks, meanwhile, it’s a move they certainly benefit from if only for the sake of making a move. The defense was a major Sharks roster concern ahead of the 2024-25 season. Adding Ceci certainly alleviates the concern, even if it doesn’t entirely solve it.

At the center of this move is Ceci himself. The veteran defenseman was involved in Oilers trade rumors for a while prior to this deal. Now with the Sharks, Ceci has spoken rather candidly about his experience dealing with these rumors.

“It’s always a little unsettling. You see all the rumors pop up on your phone, and you try to ignore them as much as you can just to stay focused on your training,” the new Sharks defenseman said, via The Hockey News. “At the same time, we all have families, and you’re always curious where you’re going to end up playing the season. It is always in the back of your mind, but [you] try and ignore it as best as possible.”

Cody Ceci could play large role with Sharks

Cody Ceci began his career with the Ottawa Senators in 2013-14. He spent parts of six seasons with the Senators before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1, 2019. His time in Toronto lasted just one year before he spent another year with the Pittsburgh Penguins. After that, he joined the Edmonton Oilers.

One thing Ceci brings to the table for San Jose is experience logging extensive minutes. In seven of his 11 seasons in the NHL, the veteran Sharks defenseman has averaged 20 minutes a game or more. In fact, he has just two seasons in which he averaged less than 19 minutes a night.

That experience could certainly come into play in San Jose. Both Daily Faceoff and PuckPedia project the 30-year-old as the top-pairing right-side defenseman. He could play alongside Jake Walman or Mario Ferraro on the top pairing if this comes to pass.

Ceci’s experience overall will be vital to the Sharks through this upcoming season. And his ability to play extensive minutes helps the team now and in the future as their top prospects continue to develop. Ceci makes his Sharks debut on October 10 against the St. Louis Blues.

The post Sharks’ Cody Ceci breaks silence with ‘unsettling’ take after Oilers trade appeared first on ClutchPoints.