Ottawa Senators at a Stalemate With Cody Ceci

As if things with Mike Hoffman weren’t contentious enough, apparently the Ottawa Senators are at a standstill with Cody Ceci about a contract for next season as well.

This situation might take even longer to resolve because of the limited options that Ceci has compared to Hoffman. Unlike Hoffman, Ceci doesn’t have the right to take the team to arbitration to settle the conflict.

Arbitration is normally reserved for players who have been in the NHL for longer than 4 years, but that yearly total is less for players who sign their first contract after the age of 20. Hoffman signed his entry-level NHL contract at age 20.

Ceci signed his entry-level NHL contract when he was 19, and this provision prevents him from being able to go to arbitration, because he only has 3 years of NHL experience.

Without the option of arbitration, Ceci could plausibly hold-out until Ottawa gives him a deal that he considers fair.

If the divide becomes extremely unsalvageable, a trade could occur. That’s the worst case scenario, though, and would likely transpire only after a very lengthy holdout that stretched into next season.

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Ceci is a former first round pick, and his point totals have increased each season he has played on the Senators.

Along with Erik Karlsson and Dion Phaneuf, Ceci gives the Senators another defenseman capable of consistently contributing on offense.

The team has high hopes for Ceci, but are seemingly hesitant to commit to him long-term.

Ceci probably thinks that he has earned long term security, but the team wants to sign him to more of a short-term bridge deal to further assess his ability.

Guy Boucher coming in as the new head coach probably plays a part in all of this as well. Boucher will be implementing a new system, and perhaps the front office wishes to see if Ceci continues his upward trajectory with a new coach at the helm.

Ceci didn’t lose any steam when Dave Cameron replaced Paul MacLean, so these worries may be overly cautious on the part of the Senators.

As unfortunate as the stalemate with Hoffman is, at least that has a resolution that’s approaching. This Ceci situation has no end in sight, and can prolong for the next few months if the two sides remain divided.

The Senators have yet to make a huge splash in free agency, apparently because they were not only content that players like Kyle Turris and Clarke MacArthur are returning from injuries, but committed to re-signing a star goal scorer like Hoffman and a promising young defenseman like Ceci.

Next: Ottawa Senators Sign Fredrik Claesson to Two-Way Contract

Until the Hoffman and Ceci contract situations get worked out, the Senators should be very concerned about the idea that they’ve alienated two important pieces to their future.