Ottawa Senators: Cody Ceci 2017-2018 Season Preview
It may just be August but the 2017-2018 NHL season will be on our hands before we know it. Training Camp will start in September and all the players will be brought together as they prepare for another season. With August as a down month in the NHL I thought this would be a great time to preview each of the players on the Ottawa Senators for next season.
If you missed it here’s our last preview!
Ottawa Senators: Dion Phaneuf 2017-2018 Season Preview
Last season perhaps no member of the Ottawa Senators faced more scrutiny than Cody Ceci. After a successful 2015-2016, Ceci took a big step back this past season. As a player who is supposed to be an offensive defenceman he scored just 2 goals and 17 points in 79 games. In the playoffs he only had one assist in 19 games. His defensive play is decent but has a lot of faults. Going into next season there might be no player with more pressure on them than Ceci.
Ceci was the Sens first round pick in 2012 and has been projected to be a top four defenceman ever since he was drafted. Although playing on the second pairing he hasn’t completely proven that he deserves the spot. He has moments where he looks fantastic, and has moments where he looks like he shouldn’t be in the NHL. At the age of 23 he’s beginning to reach the age where he should start to stabilize as an NHL player. He needs to have a big year this upcoming season.
Next: Ottawa Senators Greatest Players: #21-25 Review and Recap
Something To Prove
Despite being a big question mark for the Ottawa Senators, Ceci’s spot in the lineup is all but guaranteed. He will be on the second pairing with Dion Phaneuf. Ceci is one of just three right handed defenceman for the Sens. The other two are Karlsson and Wideman who are each vastly different to Ceci in terms of skill. Ceci will never surpass Karlsson in the lineup and will never be passed by Wideman. As a result his spot in the top four is not in danger. However, with the loss of Methot, the Ottawa Senators need Ceci to step up and be the player he was drafted to be.