NHL Free Agency: Los Angeles Kings to sign free-agent RHD Cody Ceci

The Los Angeles Kings are a team to watch on the free-agent market, and all signs are pointing to them adding a defenceman early on once the market opens.

According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, he can see the Kings signing Cody Ceci at noon on July 1. Ceci, 31, has bounced around a little bit throughout his career. Last season, he split time between the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars. The former 2012 first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators has made his rounds through the Senators, Maple Leafs, Oilers, Penguins, Sharks, Stars, and now Kings.

Ceci recorded nine assists in 31 games with the Stars to finish off last season, and added another three assists in 18 Stanley Cup Playoff games. The right-handed blueliner has a wealth of playoff experience, with 106 games under his belt.

Ceci is coming off a four-year, $13 million contract he signed with the Oilers back in 2021. He's dressed in 871 career NHL games, and seems to be on track to easily hit the 1000 mark at some point in his career.

Ceci doesn't bring a lot of offence to the table, but he's sound defensively and an underrated skater. Teams always seem to want him to be more physical, but that's no his brand of hockey, and he's more likely to try and use his high defensive IQ, over trying to overpower his opponents.

The Kings are expected to lose Vlad Gavrikov to free agency, as it's expected the Russian defenceman will sign with the New York Rangers.