Kings’ Cody Ceci: First Game Jitters or Genuine Liability?

To put things into perspective, the Edmonton Oilers recently extended their top-pairing defender, Mattias Ekholm, for just $4 million annually, and his analytics look fantastic while he has been one of the key contributors to their team’s success over the past several seasons.

The hope from Kings fans was that Ceci could play a bottom-pairing role and be a veteran presence who could provide some insight and be ready to go when the playoffs come around, since he’s been there before, but he didn’t leave a good first impression on fans.

So, was his rough first game a sign of first-game jitters, or is Ceci a genuine liability?

Ceci Struggles Mightily Against Avalanche

Let’s take a look at some analytics here, and comparing how Ceci looked in comparison to some of his other teammates, he stood out for all the wrong reasons.

Obviously, some fans are going to mention that this was just one game and he might be getting used to things. New teammates, new city, new coaching staff, it’s not the most comfortable situation for a newcomer, and he may need some time to get adjusted, but the reality is, this is the best version of Ceci, and it’s unlikely he improves much as the season moves along.

When looking at who performed the best and worst from every game on opening night from the same analytical model, we see more of the same.

It could be as simple as never playing Ceci with Brian Dumoulin again this season, since they don’t mesh well, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that Ceci has never been a trusted defender, and his own individual numbers aren’t promising.

So, the unfortunate reality for Kings fans is that Ceci is a genuine liability, and they will have to learn that the hard way this season. His lack of awareness in the defensive zone, combined with his inability to push the play offensively, makes him an issue on the blue line every time he dresses.

There is always a chance Ceci bounces back and proves he is better than that first game showed. However, his first impression doesn’t give Kings fans a lot of faith that he can drastically improve between now and the postseason.

For now, the season rolls along.

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