(Posted 8:30 a.m., June 14)
Orléans own Cody Ceci has date with destiny at upcoming NHL draft
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

Orléans native Cody Ceci is expected to be selected in the top 10 at the NHL Draft in Pittsburgh Friday night. Facebook photo

In less than 24 hours, Orléans prospect Cody Ceci will have realized the first half of his dream of one day playing in the NHL.

Ceci, 18, is expected to be selected somewhere in the
Top 15. The 6-foot-3, 208 lb. defenceman could go as high as sixth or as low as 16th. It all depends on which team is making the selection and who gets picked ahead of him.

The entire Ceci clan -- father Pari, brother Cole, 14, sister Chelsea, 20, and mother Karen Sylvester-Ceci, left for Pittsburgh on Tuesday. They were going to make a stop at the Darien Lake Theme Park and resort and visit several outlet stores in western New York on their way down.

Once in Pittsburgh, Ceci has a pair of last minute meetings with two teams are selecting between ninth and 13th.

If Ceci is worried about where he'll end up he certainly didn't show it during a plethora of pre-draft interviews earlier in the week. If he had a choice in the matter he wants to go as high as possible, if for no other reason then to end the uncertainty.

"I still really don’t know where I’m going,” Ceci told the Citizen in a recent story. “I’m really confused right now. Some teams have said ‘we will take you if you’re still there when we pick,’ but you never know if they will. All you can do right now is wait and see.”

If Ceci gets selected in the Top 10 he will join another defenceman from Orleans, Erik Gudbranson, who was selected third overall by the Florida Panthers in 2010 draft..

Al though it is unlikely Ceci will picked as high as Gudbranson, he is certainly hoping in his footsteps. After getting drafted, Gudbranson spent on season with the Kingston Frontenacs before cracking the Panthers' roster in 2011.

Depending on who drafts him, Ceci will likely end up back in Ottawa where he will spend a third year with the 67s. After that it's anybody's guess. If his parent club is in need of defencemen, he could make the jump to the NHL right away. If they're deep in defenceman, he may have to cool his heels in AHL for a season or two.

But none of that has entered Ceci's head. He is focused on the opening round of the draft which will take place Friday night on TSN, and taking that walk up to centre stage to shake NHL commissioner Gary Bettman's hand and try on his new jersey.

While the journey from the stands at Consol Energy Centre to the main stage will be a short one, the journey from the Timbits novice hockey program to the NHL draft has been substantially longer.

Before learning how to play hockey, Ceci had to first learn how to skate. Fortunately, he had an expert instructor in his mother who was a former figure skater. He eventually made the Cumberland Barons Atom AA team and stuck with the Barons through Major Peewee. The next year the Ottawa and District Minor Hockey Association adopted AAA hockey.

His family made the difficult decision to enroll Ceci, who was then 13, at a private boarding school near Peterborough.

During a preseason tournament in Ottawa, the Eastern Ontario Wild filed a protest against Lakefield for playing Ceci without acquiring the necessary transfer agreement.

The dispute was eventually reviewed by the Hockey Canada executive who ruled in favour of Lakefield and Ceci.

After missing most of his major bantam season, Ceci scored 24 goals and racked up 72 points in 57 games playing minor midget. His play caught the attention of the Ottawa 67s who selected him 16th overall in the OHL Priority Selection Draft as a 15-year-old.

He made the team his first year, which is a rarity for kids his age, and stuck with them ever since.

Originally ranked 16th by NHL Central Scouting, Ceci climbed into the top ten on the strength of his play. He nearly doubled his career highs in goals and points this past season to finish second in defensive scoring.

His success on the ice will soon pay off in his being selected by an NHL team in the first round of the draft live on national television.

“It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to play in the NHL so this has to be one of the most exciting times of my life,” said Ceci.

Other notable draft picks from the east end

2010 Erik Gudbranson 3rd overall Florida Panthers
2009 Corey Cowick 6th round Ottawa Senators
2008 Shawn Lalonde 3rd round Chicago Blackhawks
2006 Claude Giroux 22nd overall Philadelphia Flyers
2006 Jonathan Matsumoto 3rd round Philadelphia Flyers
2005 Mark Fraser 3rd round New Jersey Devils
2004 Grant Clitsome 9th round Columbus Blue Jackets
2004 Danny Taylor 7th round Los Angeles Kings
2001 Derek Roy 2nd round Buffalo Sabres
1995 Marc Savard 4th round New York Rangers

(This story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local business partners.)

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