The Edmonton Oilers have gone from being heartbroken after shedding Sport 7 of the Stanley Cup Last to buying and selling into the primary spherical of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft to specializing in upgrading their staff in hopes of creating one other deep run within the 2024-25 marketing campaign. With a number of modifications and additions together with the signings of Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson, in addition to a commerce that noticed Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio head to the Buffalo Sabres in trade for Matthew Savoie, the Oilers should want to maneuver some cash out to re-sign their restricted free brokers (RFA). One potential commerce candidate is defender Cody Ceci, who may have some curiosity from a number of groups across the NHL trying to improve their depth on the blue line. Listed below are 4 groups that would look to accumulate Ceci if the Oilers do make him out there.
Utah Hockey Membership
The primary staff that would look to make a transfer for Ceci is the Utah Hockey Membership. They made some robust additions to their blue line together with their huge commerce to herald Mikhail Sergachev in addition to buying John Marino so as to add to their depth. Whereas they may not be destined for the postseason of their first official marketing campaign as a franchise, their additions have made them a way more aggressive staff. Similar to each different staff within the NHL, the final word objective is to win a Stanley Cup, however Utah could also be trying to promote seats and be aggressive for his or her first season quite than win a championship. Including a Stanley Cup finalist like Ceci may assist do exactly that.
Final season, after they have been nonetheless the Arizona Coyotes, the staff appeared destined for one more a number of seasons of struggles as they went by a rebuild. Now, they appear only a couple seasons away from competing and making a strong playoff run. In the event that they purchase Ceci and aren’t doing properly by the commerce deadline, they may flip him for an asset to a contending staff wanting so as to add to their bottom-pairing.
Calgary Flames
The second staff that would purchase Ceci is the Calgary Flames, who’re near being compelled right into a full rebuild after their revamp bringing in Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri has seemingly failed. They may take a look at buying and selling for him if it meant they may get a draft choose again from the Oilers as properly, as an alternative of paying for him. Ceci is within the remaining season of his contract, and he possible received’t be capable of push the needle in a optimistic route for the Flames. However, in the event that they’re extra involved in including draft capital and the Oilers are keen to connect a choose to the commerce, the Flames might be .
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Ceci would match on the Flames’ backside pairing and would possible be used the identical as if Utah acquired him, which is a depth addition till the commerce deadline the place he might be flipped for one more asset. Ceci wants a contemporary begin elsewhere, and the Flames might be a staff that takes him on to permit him to be a frontrunner, whereas trying to fine-tune his sport as he appears to be like to earn a brand new contract heading into the 2025-26 marketing campaign.
Anaheim Geese
The Anaheim Geese appear poised to complete near if not lifeless final within the standings this season. They haven’t made any strikes throughout free company, they have been quiet on the draft, they usually appear to be quiet on the commerce entrance. In the event that they plan to endure one other powerful season by the rebuild, Ceci looks like the proper candidate for them to accumulate. The Geese may look so as to add some dangerous contracts if it meant draft picks have been coming their means, and so Ceci falls into that class. Like Utah and the Flames, the Geese could be banking on a strong season from Ceci so they may flip him on the commerce deadline.
As a division rival, it’s powerful to think about the Geese being keen to assist the Oilers out and tackle Ceci for near nothing, so realistically it might come down as to if or not the Oilers could be keen to connect a draft choose or a younger asset on prime of it. As they head for one more season of shedding, the Geese might be the one staff that provides Ceci extra ice time and potential top-pairing minutes.
Washington Capitals
The ultimate staff that would have some curiosity in Ceci is the Washington Capitals, who’ve been extraordinarily energetic this offseason as they give the impression of being to make yet one more deep run with their present growing old core. Whereas they introduced in Pierre-Luc Dubois, Andrew Mangiapane, and Jakob Chychrun through commerce, they may look to fill out their depth with the addition of Ceci. The Capitals are the one staff I’ll point out that might be keen to pay a draft choose or an asset to deliver him in, which may entice the Oilers to maneuver him there. The Capitals have to discover a alternative for Trevor van Riemsdyk, and Ceci might be that man.
All 4 of those groups make sense to accumulate Ceci. Three of them could be trying to have a draft choose connected to deliver him in as a wage cap dump, however one needs to be keen to accumulate him for a late draft choose. Both means, the Oilers want to maneuver on from Ceci, and these 4 squads all have completely different causes to wish to deliver him in.
