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Toronto Maple Leafs Roundtable: Most Surprising Off-Season Roster Addition

By Wilbert Timmermans

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 5: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Tyson Barrie #94 returns to the dressing room after the second period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Scotiabank Arena on October 5, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 5: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Tyson Barrie #94 returns to the dressing room after the second period against the Montreal Canadiens at the Scotiabank Arena on October 5, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 10: Cody Ceci #83 of the Toronto Maple Leafs checks Steven Stamkos #91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third at the Scotiabank Arena on October 10, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 10: Cody Ceci #83 of the Toronto Maple Leafs checks Steven Stamkos #91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third at the Scotiabank Arena on October 10, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Nick Barden

Cody Ceci has been a pleasant surprise, but I’m not ready to say he’s been great just yet.

The surprise is from the points he’s produced in the past six games. I never expected Ceci to come into this roster and make an immediate impact, but in terms of production, he has.

Three points in six games as a defenseman is decent. You can’t give Ceci all the credit though, he’s playing with Morgan Rielly, who has five assists in six games.

Rielly is the reason I’m not ready to say that Ceci has been great. The assistant captain has looked lost in the past three or four games and I don’t know if that’s because of Ceci, or another reason, but it’s not the normal Rielly that we’re used to seeing on the ice.

It’s too early to blame Ceci and it’s way too early to judge Rielly’s game and say he’s taken a possible dip in production, but right now, I’m happy with how Ceci has performed.

Not in the spotlight, but slowly producing. Like Kyle Dubas and Mike Babcock said, they believe there’s another level to Ceci’s game that they can find.

Let me tell you, if Dubas and Babcock can unlock the hidden traits that Ceci apparently has, I will be surprised and this will turn out as a great move by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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