The San Jose Sharks traded forward Mikael Granlund and defenseman Cody Ceci to the Dallas Stars today, acquiring a 2025 first-round pick and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick in return.
The fourth-round pick will upgrade to a third-round pick if the Stars reach the Stanley Cup Final this year.
Granlund had been with the Sharks since the summer of 2023, after being acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of the Erik Karlsson trade. The 32-year-old managed to revitalize his career in San Jose, scoring 105 points over 121 games with the Sharks: an 82-game pace of 71 points. Granlund was leading the Sharks in points so far this season, but was set to become an unrestricted free agent.
I created a list of the Top-50 Free Agents for 2025 at HockeyComparables.com, and with Granlund heading to Dallas, now just one player from the Sharks is left on the list, which can be viewed below:
- HockeyComparables.com: Top-50 Free Agents of 2025
Ceci, on the other hand, was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers this offseason and was also set to become a UFA. The defenseman ended up taking on a big role with the Sharks this season, averaging nearly 22 minutes per game, which ranked as the second-highest ice time per game of any player on the team.
With Granlund and Ceci both in their 30s and on expiring contracts, it’s not much of a surprise to see either of them getting moved before the trade deadline. Granlund in particular was better than anyone could’ve expected from the time he was acquired, and while his absence will hurt the Sharks in the remainder of the season, trading him was still clearly the right move.
San Jose essentially managed to take two players who they acquired as part of cap dump trades, and turned them into two good draft picks. The trade also now sets up the Sharks to have multiple first-round selections for the third year in row.
Ultimately, the Sharks are building for long-term success, and the trade puts them in position to continue building upon their already deep prospect pool.
OTHER SHARKS ARTICLES FROM JANUARY
- 5 reasons for optimism despite Sharks’ struggles this season
San Jose Sharks Blogger • 
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