The Edmonton Oilers have traded defenseman Cody Ceci, along with a 2025 third-round pick, to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Ty Emberson, both teams announced Sunday night.
Ceci, 30, has spent the past three seasons in Edmonton, appearing in 237 regular season games and scoring 68 points (11 goals, 57 assists). He also scored five points (two goals, three assists) during the Oilers' run to the Stanley Cup Final this summer. Ceci previously played six seasons with the Ottawa Senators, as well as one each with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Ottawa native isn't a world-beater, but should be a nice veteran presence for a rebuilding San Jose team.
“Cody is a solid, competitive veteran defenseman who brings a well-rounded skill set to our group," Sharks general manager Mike Grier said, per the team's site. "He’s a strong penalty killer who can also contribute offensively and he brings extensive playoff experience. We’re excited to have him join our organization.”
Going the other way is Emberson, a 24-year-old blue-liner who made his NHL debut this season after the Sharks claimed him off waivers from the New York Rangers. A 2018 third-round pick by the Arizona Coyotes, Emberson appeared in 30 games last season and scored 10 points (one goal, nine assists).
Emberson also reunites with Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch, whom he previously played for with the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Rangers' AHL affiliate.
Perhaps more important than the trade itself is how it impacts the Oilers in the big picture. Edmonton is currently in the process of clearing out cap space after the St. Louis Blues tendered offer sheets to defenseman Philip Broberg (two years, $4.58 million cap hit) and forward Dylan Holloway (two years, $2.29 million cap hit).
By shedding Ceci's contract, the Oilers have gained an extra $2.3 million in cap space to work with, per PuckPedia. They are still about $6 million over the cap, but the extra cap space should help them in matching Broberg's offer sheet. The same goes for Holloway, though the Oilers acquiring forward Vasily Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks earlier on Sunday could indicate that they're prepared to let him go.
Edmonton has until Tuesday to match St. Louis' offer sheets.
