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Ottawa Drafts Cody Ceci; Trade Speculation Continues

June 22, 2012, 9:16 PM ET [42 Comments]
Travis Yost
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In the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft, GM Bryan Murray -- amidst rampant trade speculation -- stepped to the podium to draft defenseman Cody Ceci of the Ontario Hockey League.

The Ottawa Senators had been rumored to have been targeting a blue liner in the first-round for a while, but an interesting run of rearguards in the top-ten left talented forward Teuvo Teravainen on the table when they made their choice.

In the end, the workhorse defenseman -- right out of Ottawa's backyard, playing in the OHL with the 67's -- was the choice. And the right one.





The 6'2", 203 lb. defenseman certainly gives the Ottawa Senators some much-needed flexibility on the back-end. Ceci's offensive growth certainly bolstered his stock prior to entry in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Courtesy of The Hockey News, a quick scouting report on Ceci:

A player whose stock rose as the season progressed, Ceci could surprise on draft day if there is a team that needs an offensive defenseman and is picking in the top 10.

To be sure, he’s a big player – “He’s built like a house,” one scout said – with an even bigger shot from the blueline.

“He’s not a guy who looks natural offensively but he seems to be able to get the points,” said another scout. “He’s a little robotic and he has a stiffness in his game that makes you wonder, but he’s a big, strong kid with a really good shot.”

Like most offensive defensemen, there is an element of risk to his game that will need to be tamed when he gets to the NHL.

His defensive coverage is spotty at times, but he has excelled in all situations with the Ottawa 67′s.


The Ottawa Senators started off this wild Friday by fully engulfing themselves in the Rick Nash sweepstakes. Although the Columbus front office has made it clear through the media that no specific deal is close right now, many -- including Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet -- believe that the Ottawa Senators are now the favorite.

No deal was made on Friday, but the Rick Nash and Ottawa connection appears quite legitimate. In fact, it's reached the point where the biggest -- and maybe, only -- hurdle in a deal is whether or not Rick Nash would waive a no-movement clause to play in Ottawa next season.

Making things more interesting, Anaheim F Bobby Ryan spoke to local media on Friday, unleashing a scathing indictment of his handling by the organization. By all accounts, Ryan's days are numbered. And, again, considering the assets and cap room Ottawa has, they could be soon linked as a trade partner.

Keep it dialed in right here over the next few days. Things are going to get quite interesting.

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