Insider Links Maple Leafs to Reunion With $13 Million Defenseman

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Maple Leafs linked to reunion with Cody Ceci.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will likely look to add a defenseman ahead of the March 7 trade deadline.

The Maple Leafs are one of the best teams in the NHL and will look to bolster its roster for the playoffs. NHL insider and analyst Justin Bourne of Sportsnet believes the Maple Leafs will look to acquire a defenseman. A reunion with Cody Ceci is a possibility, according to Bourne, among other names.

“It’s an annual thing, and every team with Cup aspirations does it. But, you really do need to be seven or eight defensemen deep,” Bourne wrote. “For the Leafs to start the post-season with all of Conor Timmins, Simon Benoit, Philippe Myers and Jani Hakanpaa just feels like they’ve got too many 6/7 slot guys. It will be interesting who becomes available as numerous mediocre teams have convinced themselves they’re still in it. But, I’d expect at least one new name that’s about a No. 4 or a No. 5 to be among Toronto’s pairs when the puck drops on Game 1 of the playoffs. (Mario Ferraro? David Savard? The return of Cody Ceci? Brian Dumoulin?).”

Ceci played for the Maple Leafs for the 2019-20 season skating in 56 games recording 1 goal and 7 assists for 8 points. He left in free agency to sign with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Ceci is currently in the final year of his four-year $13 million deal. He currently plays for the San Jose Sharks. Ceci’s skated in 54 games recording 4 goals and 11 assists for 15 points this season.

Ceci Hopes to Stay With San Jose

Although the Sharks are one of the worst teams in the NHL, Ceci is hoping to remain in San Jose.

The defenseman’s name has come up in trade rumors but Ceci says he wants to stay but knows it’s uncertain.

“I’ve seen it from both sides. I’ve been on some good teams and some bad teams at the deadline,” Ceci said. “You’ve just got to be ready. But at the same time, you just spend as much time as you can together around these times, because you never know when you’re going to be gone.”

The Sharks could likely get a mid-round pick for Ceci which could result in him being traded.

Insider Expects Maple Leafs to Trade 1 of 2 Top Prospects

Along with acquiring a defenseman, Bourne expects the Maple Leafs to be aggressive to add a centerman.

Toronto has been linked to the likes of Brock Nelson, Yanni Gourde, and Scott Laughton. But, if the Maple Leafs are going to make a trade at the deadline, Bourne expects one of Easton Cowan or Fraser Minten to be traded.

“The Leafs don’t need a deadline where they add a couple of bottom-six grinders and a seventh defenseman. It’s a Weird Year, without any clear favorites, and the Leafs have as good a chance as any other team. They need to separate themselves with a bigger move,” Bourne wrote. “Again, they don’t have a ton of assets, but to acquire a real player they’ll have to give someone up. Minten is a guy who would get another team excited (he can play in the NHL today and is, at worst, a very high IQ two-way third-line center). Cowan is the higher upside, higher risk on the downside play, so you have a prospect who would suit just about any selling team’s fancy.”

Cowan was a first-round pick in 2023 while Minten was selected in the second round in 2022.