Confirmed with Link: Penguins Sign Cody Ceci, 1 Year $1.25M AAV

[HandshakeLine]

I of course want us to be fast, I just mean that this board automatically thinks fast = desirable, even when the player in question is bad.

I never said that.

 

[ColePens]

What has JR said?

It doesn't matter what JR has said in this situation. JR gets the players and Sully plays them as he sees fit. If I had to place money on it, one of those 2 dmen will be in the top 4, albeit we all see/know it won't be a great call. And short of an injury, I will 95% guarantee both dmen are in the lineup on opening night. And if fully healthy, Riiko will be sat.

If it goes another way, I will be utterly shocked. Obviously injuries change those things in camp, but even if Riiko was spectacular in camp, I would guarantee he sits for Ceci and Matheson. And one of those two is in the top 4.

 

[Deport Ogie]

Saw this news come in Saturday while watching 6th graders play soccer and thought boy, I can't wait until Monday to read what I'm sure will be a balanced and calm discussion thread.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I don’t want to completely overreact to a guy brought in to be the 6, but I feel like we just watched an awful d-man in JJ do a lot to sink this squad. I totally get we need bodies in a shortened year, but I dunno. This feels bad.

There are 2 possibilities that really scare me here:

- possible Matheson-Ceci trainwreck pairing. Aka JJ-Schultz 2.0 (Riikola-Ruh legitimately sounds better).

- Ceci plays well, which is great. And we turn around and give him the JJ special.

Just hope they play the best defenders this time around. Without overplaying the worst guys.

 

[Gurglesons]

AA

Did people around here ever really want him?

 

[Beau Knows]

I know it's going to be a short season, but I'd still rather see some younger guys get into the bottom 4 and at least get some experience. We could get a guy to fill in the lineup at the trade deadline (if there are trades this year) if they really don't trust the young guys after seeing them all year. It just seems like we're limiting our options for no reason.

 

[SEALBound]

I don’t want to completely overreact to a guy brought in to be the 6, but I feel like we just watched an awful d-man in JJ do a lot to sink this squad. I totally get we need bodies in a shortened year, but I dunno. This feels bad.

There are 2 possibilities that really scare me here:

- possible Matheson-Ceci trainwreck pairing. Aka JJ-Schultz 2.0 (Riikola-Ruh legitimately sounds better).

- Ceci plays well, which is great. And we turn around and give him the JJ special.

Just hope they play the best defenders this time around. Without overplaying the worst guys.

Wouldn't Matheson-Ceci be a good mix of a pairing though? Let's be real, both a lightyears ahead of JJ and both are loads better than Schultz's last little bit here. Starting fresh, that's a MUCH more capable pairing than JJ-Schultz.

That said, if Ceci plays well...thats good for us. Hoping a player you don't like doesn't play well in order to avoid an extension is a baffling line of logic to me. Why would actively root against a player on the roster? Looking at next year, there's no room for a "JJ special". That money is going to Marino.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Did people around here ever really want him?

Not in the majority but his name pops up most years.

 

[SEALBound]

Did people around here ever really want him?

Big, fast, former 30g scorer. I want the perception of him. The idea of him. The past performance of him. Not sure I want him now.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Wouldn't Matheson-Ceci be a good mix of a pairing though? Let's be real, both a lightyears ahead of JJ and both are loads better than Schultz's last little bit here. Starting fresh, that's a MUCH more capable pairing than JJ-Schultz.

Individually sure, but together I could see them giving you a similar impact. Aka a bad pairing.

 

[TySmith4Norris]

Daily reminder that Matheson is not a top 4D. If he's in our top 4 it's likely to be a major issue. Ceci is a #6 at best as well. These guys are nooot going to drive play, they're going to need shielding.

Reminder that Jack Johnson with Marino was a serviceable second pair

Have some faith Matheson can bring more in the right situation

 

[TySmith4Norris]

Individually sure, but together I could see them giving you a similar impact. Aka a bad pairing.

The analytics on Ceci say his defensive improvements last year came from not having to handle the puck much in the D-zone (Reilly tended to carry the puck out)

Matheson seems to play a similar style so it could work, and from what I've seen it sounds like the actually were a pair for Canada at one point

 

[JackFr]

Do you have a specific example?

I mean even Grabner who this forum wanted bad was a pretty good player up until the last few years when age caught up.

Grabner is kind of the perfect example. So was Boedker back in the day, or Rieder, or Athanasiou now. Ignoring that our fast guys who have succeeded have almost always been great players on top of being fast.

 

[Gurglesons]

Grabner is kind of the perfect example. So was Boedker back in the day, or Rieder, or Athanasiou now. Ignoring that our fast guys who have succeeded have almost always been great players on top of being fast.

I feel like maybe we've read the forum differently. Grabner is the only player I remember a ton of attention being paid to Boedker was almost unanimously shot down following his move to COL. Reider I never heard anyone want and AA is simply like a "take a flier on him".

But I agree, all of those players are fast and not much else outside of Grabs.

 

[Pens1566]

I feel like I've seen this movie before ...

 

[JackFr]

The analytics on Ceci say his defensive improvements last year came from not having to handle the puck much in the D-zone (Reilly tended to carry the puck out)

Matheson seems to play a similar style so it could work, and from what I've seen it sounds like the actually were a pair for Canada at one point

That's true, but.

Johnson/Schultz was a catastrophe in part because opposing teams pressured Schultz hard and forced JJ to be the guy to break out the puck. Matheson is no Rielly. I can totally see Matheson either making bad decisions with the puck in transition or Ceci getting picked apart

 

[Gurglesons]

That's true, but.

Johnson/Schultz was a catastrophe in part because opposing teams pressured Schultz hard and forced JJ to be the guy to break out the puck. Matheson is no Rielly. I can totally see Matheson either making bad decisions with the puck in transition or Ceci getting picked apart

Yep. They've basically set themselves up to repeat JJ - Schultz.

 

[TySmith4Norris]

That's true, but.

Johnson/Schultz was a catastrophe in part because opposing teams pressured Schultz hard and forced JJ to be the guy to break out the puck. Matheson is no Rielly. I can totally see Matheson either making bad decisions with the puck in transition or Ceci getting picked apart

Think they give Matheson a long look with Marino to start, so just not wildly concerned about Matheson-Ceci

Pettersson-Ceci should do fine with the easiest matchups, and if not I think Riikola's equipment still fits

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

That said, if Ceci plays well...thats good for us. Hoping a player you don't like doesn't play well in order to avoid an extension is a baffling line of logic to me. Why would actively root against a player on the roster? Looking at next year, there's no room for a "JJ special". That money is going to Marino.

think you missed the part where I said if he plays well... it’s great.

 

[JackFr]

By the way, if anyone has some time to kill and misses hockey they can watch Matheson - Ceci here:

 

[TySmith4Norris]

By the way, if anyone has some time to kill and misses hockey they can watch Matheson - Ceci here:

Skimmed this, neither gets a ton of ice time and they seem to play Ceci with Reilly and Matheson with Dumba more often

Not a ton to see, both look to be in some pain after blocking shots if you're concerned they can't do that

Fine skaters with a couple more physical plays

Ceci gets power play and penalty kill time, doesn't look awful doing either

Ceci skates with his stick off of the ice and on his hips a lot, personally a pet peeve so not a huge fan of that

 

[Tom Hanks]

By the way, if anyone has some time to kill and misses hockey they can watch Matheson - Ceci here:

Disappointed I wasn’t Rickrolled

 

[Rakell67]

Skimmed this, neither gets a ton of ice time and they seem to play Ceci with Reilly and Matheson with Dumba more often

Not a ton to see, both look to be in some pain after blocking shots if you're concerned they can't do that

Fine skaters with a couple more physical plays

Ceci gets power play and penalty kill time, doesn't look awful doing either

Ceci skates with his stick off of the ice and on his hips a lot, personally a pet peeve so not a huge fan of that

I’m not a fan of how he parts his hair so he’s already skating on thin ice.

 

[Tom Hanks]

I’m not a fan of how he parts his hair so he’s already skating on thin ice.

He needs this bird

 

[WayneSid9987]

Dumb signing but whatever...

Hopefully Rierdon just dresses the best 6 vs handing the vet a spot with Jacques and JJ.
Course Ceci could win a spot but i want legit competition with the other 2 guys this go 'round.