Former San Jose Sharks defenseman Cody Ceci met with local reporters before the Dallas Stars 8-3 win on Saturday.
Former San Jose Sharks defenseman Cody Ceci met with local reporters before the Dallas Stars 8-3 win on Saturday.
Former San Jose Sharks defenseman Cody Ceci met with local reporters before the Dallas Stars 8-3 win on Saturday.
Ceci and Mikael Granlund were shipped to Dallas from San Jose on Feb. 1 in exchange for a first-round pick and a conditional third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. The two didn't need to wait long to see their former team because they returned to the SAP Center a week later.
Ceci wasn't in Teal for long, 54 games to be exact, and was acquired in an offseason trade with the Edmonton Oilers. However, his impact on the room was felt, especially by his defense partner, Jake Walman.
"We were pretty close. We stuck together early on the season, [as we were] both new guys, so we kind of bounced a lot off each other," Ceci said. "Then, on the ice, we spent most of the season playing together. He's a great player, so I wish him all the best."
Ceci had averaged 21:46 average time on ice per game with San Jose. With Dallas, he's in a similar role playing 20:59 TOI.
"There's a couple of injuries on the back end, so it's allowing me to play big minutes," Ceci explained. "It is tougher to step in and play those big minutes with all new systems, but I think we've been figuring it out as we go."
Granlund and Ceci were dealt in the morning of Feb. 1. That evening, the sporting world was stunned as the Dallas Mavericks, who share the American Airlines Center with the Dallas Stars, traded their franchise superstar, Luka Doncic, to the Los Angeles Lakers.
"Me and Granny were joking on the way into the rink that the Luka trade really took the pressure off us because they were protesting in numbers out there. It was pretty crazy to see," Ceci joked.
Ceci told reporters he'd been open to re-signing with the San Jose Sharks during his time with the club. He clarified that stability is what he's searching for this summer, and if the Sharks can offer that, they will be an option for the pending UFA.
"There's always that possibility [of re-signing with the Sharks]. At this point in my career, [I'm] just looking for a little stability, and that's if that's here, then that's here," Ceci said. "I think that's a little bit further down the path. Right now, I'm just focused on playing for the Stars."
Ceci played 19:08 on Saturday and was +1. The defenseman had already made plans with his former San Jose Sharks teammates and will spend time in Hawaii with them during the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
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