Comments / New

Stars Trade For Mikael Granlund, Cody Ceci

Trading picks for players, Jim Nill buttresses an injury-plagued lineup – and sends an “all-in” message to the rest of the league.

Dec 3, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome (17) passes the puck as San Jose Sharks center Mikael Granlund (64) and Sharks defenseman Cody Ceci (4) defend in the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Dec 3, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome (17) passes the puck as San Jose Sharks center Mikael Granlund (64) and Sharks defenseman Cody Ceci (4) defend in the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill has negotiated a trade for two name-brand players that should help his injured team complete their trek to the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs – and make a splash once they’re there.

The San Jose Sharks swapped 32-year-old forward Mikael Granlund and 31-year-old blueliner Cody Ceci for two of the Stars’ picks in the 2025 NHL Draft – the first-rounder, plus a conditional third-rounder. The conditional pick is Winnipeg’s fourth-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft (acquired via a trade with San Jose on June 19, 2024), which will upgrade to Dallas’ third-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft if the Stars make it the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.

The home team has taken a beating over the past few months. Mason Marchment is still recovering from surgery after taking a puck to the face during Dallas’ overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild on December 27. With superstar center Tyler Seguin and everyday defender Nils Lundkvist recuperating from injuries that ended their regular seasons, the team can use experienced help – both on the blueline and in the forward corps.

San Jose, currently languishing in the Pacific Division’s sub-basement, is no doubt looking down the road toward an offseason rebuild. The resulting hockey trade is the sort of thing we’ve come to expect from Nill, who seems out to prove that his back-to-back GM of the Year awards weren’t for nothing.

Currently, Granlund leads the Sharks in both points (45) and assists (30) for the 2024-25 season. Five of his goals have come on the power play, which immediately positions him as a potential boost for the Stars’ special teams. As the latest addition to the Stars’ Finnish Mafia, he’s already set to join new teammates Roope Hintz and Esa Lindell at the 4 Nations Face-Off beginning February 12. (Alas, fellow Team Suomi member Miro Heiskanen has already been confirmed a no-show due to a knee injury sustained when Mark Stone “collided” with his left leg during Dallas’ January 28 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights.)

Ceci ranks first in time on ice among all Sharks players this season; he’s also tied for second in game-winning goals with two. Even more importantly, the 6’3″ defender is a right-handed shot, which will give the Stars additional flexibility on their defensive pairings even after Heiskanen returns to action. Both Granlund and Ceci have won gold medals in international competition, and they’ve played in nearly 100 Stanley Cup playoffs games between them.

The timing could be perfect, as Stars staff writer Mike Heika writes in his latest post. And Nill seems to have expressed as much, too:

“We’re all kind of walking ourselves through this [timeline] of when is the right time to do it,” Nill said. “I would say the parity and the competition has changed the trade deadline for everybody. It’s tight, and if you wait too long…I think there are going to be other players available, but who knows, there might not be.”

The Stars’ full release is below. It’s also available at the Dallas Stars website.

FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill announced today that the club has acquired forward Mikael Granlund and defenseman Cody Ceci from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Dallas’ first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and a conditional third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. The conditional pick is Winnipeg’s fourth-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft (acquired via a trade with San Jose on June 19, 2024) and will upgrade to Dallas’ third-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft if the Stars make the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.

“We are excited to welcome both Mikael and Cody to Dallas,” said Nill. “We see both players as addressing immediate needs for our team — Mikael is a proven scorer who will bolster our forward group at both even strength and on the power play, and Cody will add a stabilizing and physical presence to our blueline. Both players will bring valuable postseason experience to our group, and we are looking forward to seeing their contributions to the Stars as the season continues.”

Granlund, 32, has recorded 45 points (15-30—45) in 52 regular-season contests with San Jose during the 2024-25 campaign, ranking first on the club in points (45) and assists (30). His 15 goals are third on the team, while he is tied for first with five power play goals and paces all forwards in time on ice per game (TOI/G) with 20:51. The 13-year NHL veteran has amassed 589 points (172-417—589) in 871 career regular-season contests with Minnesota, Nashville, Pittsburgh and San Jose, ranking fourth in career scoring among active, Finnish skaters. He has made nine appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, totaling 32 points (11-21—32).

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound forward from Oulu, Finland was originally selected by Minnesota in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft. He has represented Finland on numerous occasions, including capturing two gold medals and one silver medal in seven appearances at IIHF World Championships and a bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics. He was chosen earlier this season to represent Team Finland alongside fellow countrymen Miro HeiskanenRoope Hintz and Esa Lindell at the 4 Nations Face-Off later this month.

Ceci, 31, has recorded 15 points (4-11—15) in 54 regular-season contests with the Sharks this season. He ranks first on the club in TOI with 1175:41 and is tied for second with two game-winning goals. Among Sharks blueliners, he ranks second in points (15) and assists (11) and is tied for third in goals (4). In 12 NHL campaigns, he has recorded 226 points (52-174—226) and skated in 840 regular-season contests with Ottawa, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Edmonton and San Jose. The right-shot defenseman has appeared in the postseason on seven occasions, amassing 19 points (4-15—19) in 88 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound native of Ottawa, Ontario, was originally selected by Ottawa in the first round (15th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft. Ceci represented his home country at the 2016 IIHF World Championship, winning a gold medal after totaling six points (1-5—6) in 10 tournament games.

Talking Points