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Toronto Maple Leafs Roundtable: The Is the Cody Ceci Experiment Working?

By Wilbert Timmermans

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 28: Cody Ceci #83 of the Toronto Maple Leafs warms up prior to an NHL pre-season game against the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena on September 28, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 28: Cody Ceci #83 of the Toronto Maple Leafs warms up prior to an NHL pre-season game against the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena on September 28, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 16: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Cody Ceci (83) moves into the attack during a NHL game between the Washington Capitals and the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 16, 2019, at Capital One Arena, in Washington D.C.(Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 16: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Cody Ceci (83) moves into the attack during a NHL game between the Washington Capitals and the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 16, 2019, at Capital One Arena, in Washington D.C.(Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Mark van der Lugt

Putting Ceci onto the top pairing is a really interesting strategy, as the Toronto Maple Leafs are the best team he’s ever played with in his entire career.

Toronto is able to mask much of his inefficiencies on the ice as a result. For Ceci, it’s hard to look good when put into the wrong role on a bad team, but even with Toronto, he has not been good enough.

Is it time for the experiment to end? Let’s take a look at some of their numbers;

The eye test has shown that the pair has struggled significantly, meanwhile, the numbers say the complete opposite. Ceci and Rielly have both started in the defensive zone at slightly above 50% and have posted positive possession numbers. Their PDO is right around league average, but is this a result from the forwards being exceptionally good and a really good starting goalie?

I personally think Rielly is having a tough time adjusting to a new partner, and it doesn’t help that Ceci looks out of place. Here’s the issue: who takes Ceci’s spot if you take him off the pairing? The pairings need to be balanced. What management needs to focus on, is properly rebuilding Ceci’s value, as he will not be on the team next year due to the coming salary-cap crunch.

Having Ceci on the top pair is out of necessity right now, but it is not a permanent solution. When Dermott comes back from injury, the pairings could be significantly shuffled around.

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