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Ottawa Senators Sign Cody Ceci to Two-Year Contract

By Ian Smith

Jan 16, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings left wing Dwight King (74) takes the puck down ice as Ottawa Senators defenseman Cody Ceci (5) defends in the third period of the game at Staples Center. Senators won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 16, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings left wing Dwight King (74) takes the puck down ice as Ottawa Senators defenseman Cody Ceci (5) defends in the third period of the game at Staples Center. Senators won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Ottawa Senators have now taken care of one of their top offseason priorities, as Cody Ceci has been re-signed.

The terms of a contract are $5.6 million for 2 seasons. In the end, the Senators’ front office got their way with the bridge deal they had preferred throughout this dispute.

This is looking like it’ll be a bargain for the Senators, at least short term. Ceci is just 22 years old and had 26 points last season.

His point totals have improved each season he has been in the NHL, and if he continues to improve throughout the duration of this deal, the Senators will be getting solid production for a reasonable price.

After two seasons, though, he might bump himself up into a higher salary bracket based on his production level, meaning the Senators will end up having to pay more money than they’d originally have had to once his production goes up.

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That’s why I had favored a long term deal for him since the beginning of this dispute. If the team were to bet on Ceci improving over the duration of the contract, by year 5 or 6 he’d be putting up huge numbers and still be getting paid the going rate for a young, mid 20s point defenseman from when he originally signed the deal.

Of course, contracts get front-loaded or back-loaded sometimes, but the principle remains the same if average payout over the duration of the contract is analyzed.

The bridge deal is certainly the safer bet if they think Ceci is close to plateauing, but I’m not sure that’s the case.

If he ends up playing an entire season with Dion Phaneuf as his partner, it stands to logic that his numbers will improve from last season when he didn’t have that same prolonged stability.

I’m glad that Ceci will be back with the Senators for at least 2 more seasons, but I’m wary of what will happen after that contract expires.

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If Ceci is way better in two years than he is now, the Senators will have to pay up in order to keep him, and lament the fact that they made the wrong decision in not locking him up long term.

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