The banged-up Dallas Stars are shuttling in some healthy bodies, acquiring center Mikael Granlund and defenseman Cody Ceci from the San Jose Sharks on Saturday, according to league sources.
The Stars sent a 2025 first-round pick and a 2025 fourth-round pick that can become a third if they make the Stanley Cup Final to San Jose in exchange for the two pending unrestricted free agents.
They can certainly use the veteran reinforcements after recently losing two defensemen to injury: Miro Heiskanen is out week-to-week with a knee issue, and the team announced earlier Saturday that Nils Lundkvist had season-ending shoulder surgery. Stars center Tyler Seguin had previously been ruled out for the remainder of the regular season after having hip surgery in December, and winger Mason Marchment hasn’t played since taking a puck to the face on Dec. 27.
Still, despite that tough run of injury luck, they remain in the mix with the Winnipeg Jets and Minnesota Wild near the top of the Central Division.
What the Stars are getting
Granlund has returned to the level of production seen much earlier in his career while lining up as the top-line center for the rebuilding Sharks over the past two seasons. He has 15 goals and 45 points in 52 games this year.
The 32-year-old has high-end vision and is known for putting teammates in a favorable position to score. He was an all-situations player in San Jose, playing more power-play minutes and more penalty-killing minutes than any other forward on the team.
Granlund is also a highly decorated and experienced international player for Finland — he’ll serve as an alternate captain at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off — and should feel comfortable on a Stars team already featuring countrymen Heiskanen, Esa Lindell, Roope Hintz and Arttu Hyyry.
Ceci, meanwhile, should help the Stars fill a need on the right side of their blue line that’s been there since Chris Tanev left in free agency last summer. He’s a sturdy defensive defenseman and penalty killer who brings plenty of experience, having played 52 playoff games in the past three years alone with the Edmonton Oilers.
The Stars still have plenty of salary-cap flexibility to make further moves with Lundkvist and Seguin both on long-term injured relief. Expect them to remain active in the trade market. They’re trying to get over the hump after back-to-back trips to the Western Conference final.
What’s next for San Jose
Granlund and Ceci were two of the most attractive rental players the Sharks could take to market ahead of the March 7 trade deadline as the organization continues its rebuild.
Among the other players on expiring deals they could still move are forwards Luke Kunin and Nico Sturm, defenseman Jan Rutta and goaltenders Alexandar Georgiev and Vitek Vanecek.
They will also recieve interest in defenseman Mario Ferraro, who has one year beyond this one remaining on his contract.
Sharks general manager Mike Grier has added a boatload of future assets at the last two trade deadlines and is expected to continue that work over the next few weeks.
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(Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
