The San Jose Sharks have made a trade. Defenseman Cody Ceci and forward Mikael Granlund have been traded to the Dallas Stars for picks. This is a sad time for Sharks fans as we see this team lose a key part of its core in Granlund, but they took Granlund and turned him into a significant asset when he was a cap dump in the Erik Karlsson trade, and the same for Cody Ceci who was a dump from Edmonton.
This hurts, starting with Granlund. In 52 games this year, Granlund has 15 goals and 30 assists for 45 points. It hurts a ton to see this player leave when he has been so good for this organization. However, he is on an expiring deal, and Mike Grier said it was unlikely the Sharks re-signed him before the deadline, so this felt like it was coming. He was a great member of Team Teal.
Cody Ceci came in the summer with a draft pick so Edmonton could get out from under that contract. San Jose managed to turn him into a positive asset as he was part of this deal. With Miro Heiskanen injured, the Stars were looking for blueline help, and Ceci will help that organization get closer to its goal of lifting the Stanley Cup. However, the Sharks got assets back, so let's take a look at those.
Dallas' first-round draft pick in 2025 will be part of this trade. San Jose also acquired Winnipeg's fourth-round pick from Dallas, but that can become a third if the Stars progress all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. Overall, this is a fantastic return for two players the Rangers took on as cap dumps in trades over the last few years. Now, the Sharks must hit on these draft picks to get full value from this deal.