Former Defenseman Could Return to Penguins

If Jake Guentzel is dealt to the Edmonton Oilers, a former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman may make a return.

PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Penguins are flying towards a near complete teardown of their roster as the NHL trade deadline approaches. Key names like Jake Guentzel, Reilly Smith, and Alex Nedeljkovic have emerged as the most likely candidates to be dealt by the Penguins with playoff hopes just about dashed.

Guentzel is the most talked about piece and will arguably catch the Penguins the most significant return, but what exactly could that be for the Penguins? The Edmonton Oilers are one of the teams possibly still in the race for Guentzel, and they have an intriguing player with multiple connections to the Penguins.

David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period pointed out that defenseman Cody Ceci may be sent out of Edmonton to fit any additions the Oilers make. If they’re swinging for Guentzel, it's possible Ceci is part of the return.

The Oilers will need to move money out if they plan on bringing a big contract in, and Ceci may just be a casualty in that process. He earns $3.25 million against the salary cap with another year remaining on his deal.

Ceci played a season with the Penguins during the shortened 2020-21 season and breathed life back into his career. He played in 53 games, scoring four goals and 13 assists for 17 total points.

Following his season in Pittsburgh, Ceci signed a four-year contract with the Oilers. He’ll have a year remaining after the 2023-24 season, and aside from being a former Penguin, Ceci is also familiar with a key face in the front office.

Before jumping to the Penguins, Ceci spent a year with the Toronto Maple Leafs, where Kyle Dubas was the general manager. Before the 2019-20 season, Dubas signed Ceci to a one-year contract with the Maple Leafs.

While front-runners are being decided in the Guentzel sweepstakes, a return to Pittsburgh for Ceci would make a ton of sense if the Oilers pull ahead. The Oilers need to move money out to bring money in and Ceci has that previous familiarity to work with.

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