Well, the Kings have added some size to the right side of their defensive group. On Monday, Kings GM Ken Holland signed 31-year-old rearguard Cody Ceci to a four-year free agent contract. The deal carries a $4.5M AAV.
It also brings another former Oilers player to Southern California, after forward Warren Foegele joined the team last offseason and veteran Corey Perry was added earlier today.
Ceci spent three years in Edmonton before starting last season in San Jose and then heading to Dallas in a Trade Deadline deal that saw the Stars acquire him for what was hoped to be a long playoff run.
Over the weekend, Holland traded Jordan Spence to Ottawa, thereby freeing up a spot among LA’s second or third pair. While it will likely be sorted out during training camp, Ceci could conceivably land on either pair for coach Jim Hiller next season. Much of how it eventually shakes out will likely depend on how many minutes Brandt Clarke earns and how the team sets up their two power play units.
At 6-foot-3 and 210 lbs., Ceci is more of a stay-at-home defenseman. He’s bounced around the league a bit over the past five years after being a fixture in Ottawa following the Senators taking him in the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft. His time Ottawa came to an end during the summer of 2019 and was followed by one season in Toronto, and then another one in Pittsburgh, before Holland (then GM of the Oilers) signed him to a free agent contract in Edmonton.
Ceci was often maligned by fans and media during much of his time in Alberta, yet he had some of his most productive years there, with most objective appraisals tending to mention they simply needed to not overplay him. Not only did he produce a pair of 25+ point seasons, Ceci was universally praised by his teammates and was allegedly very popular in the locker room. Additionally, he received ongoing support from the coaching staff for his play in the postseason, including from Hall of Famer Paul Coffey.
Holland still has plenty of work to do as he continues to revamp the Kings roster in advance of their 2025-26 NHL season.
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