Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The Dallas Stars began their buying during the NHL trade deadline season.
The Stars acquired center Mikael Granlund and defenseman Cody Ceci from the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.
In return, the Sharks received a 2025 first-round pick and a 2025 conditional fourth-round pick that belongs to the Winnipeg Jets, which can become a third-rounder if the Stars make it to the Stanley Cup final.
For the upcoming draft, the Sharks have eight picks to work with, including two first-round selections. Five of those draft picks are owned by other teams that San Jose picked up in previous trades.
Granlund has been considered one of the top players available in the NHL trade market. In 52 games with San Jose this season, the 32-year-old has scored 15 goals and a team-leading 45 points.
He also earned a 4 Nations Face-Off spot on Team Finland. Their first game of the tournament comes on Feb. 13 against Team USA.
This will be Granlund’s fifth team in his 13-year NHL career. He spent the first seven years of his career with the Minnesota Wild, which drafted him ninth overall in 2010
He then played for the Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins and the Sharks. The center has played 871 career games and recorded 172 goals, 417 assists and 589 points.
Ceci, 31, has four goals and 15 points with a minus-9 rating in 54 games.
This is the third time the defenseman has been traded and the second time in the past year. The Sharks previously acquired him from the Edmonton Oilers in August 2024.
Both players going to Dallas are pending UFAs. Granlund earns $5 million against the cap, while Ceci carries a $3.25-million cap hit.
Before this trade, Stars GM Jim Nill made some roster adjustments to make some cap space. Center Tyler Seguin (hip injury) and defenseman Nils Lundkvist (season-ending shoulder surgery) were placed on long-term injured reserve, which allows Dallas to exceed the salary cap’s upper limit by up to their cap hits.
We have loaned Kyle Capobianco to the @TexasStars and recalled Kyle McDonald and Christian Kyrou.
Additionally, Mason Marchment has been placed on IR, retroactive to December 31.
GM Jim Nill has announced that Nils Lundkvist underwent season-ending shoulder surgery.
Both Nils… pic.twitter.com/fXHQdLUCfZ
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) February 1, 2025
Seguin has a cap hit of $9.85 million, while Lundkvist earns $1.25 million. In total, that opened up about $11.1 million in Dallas’ cap space.
More to come.
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