When Vladislav Gavrikov departed for the New York Rangers on July 1, signing a seven-year, $49 million deal, it left a gaping hole in the Los Angeles Kings defense.
The team responded quickly. On the same day, the Kings announced that Cody Ceci had signed a four-year contract worth $18 million (averaging $4.5 million annually), followed minutes later by news that Brian Dumoulin had also joined the team on a three-year, $12 million deal ($4 million AAV).
Unfortunately, making quick business decisions doesn’t always result in decisions that are beneficial to the business.
Bleacher Report Analysis Rips Kings Contracts for Cody Ceci & Brian Dumoulin
On Thursday, Bleacher Report presented a list of “the Worst 2025 NHL Free-Agency Signings So Far.” Much to the chagrin of Kings fans, both of their teams summer acquisitions made it in the top 10 – Dumoulin at No. 8, Ceci at No. 1 – signaling an early analytical backlash to the deals.
Ceci, 31, brings size and experience, but his track record raises caution flags. He finished last season with a –55 expected-goals differential and ranked near the bottom of NHL defensemen in that metric.
In Dallas, he was heavily sheltered, often paired with Esa Lindell – and even then their pairing finished among the worst in the league for expected goals share. Bleacher Report’s critique was blunt, saying, “giving him a four-year contract, given his track record and how it’s worked out, is stunning.”
Meanwhile, the 33-year-old Dumoulin, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with Pittsburgh, arrives with a reputation for steady play, but limited upside. Analysts describe his signing not as a leap forward, but a safe fallback – a floor-raiser, not a ceiling-builder – especially in a league that prizes speed and mobility over veteran grit.
The timing and nature of the two signings only deepen the scrutiny. In a separate Bleacher Report article, analyzing the winners and losers of the offseason, Sara Civian wrote, “ analysis put it, “Losing Vladislav Gavrikov on the blue line was going to sting no matter what, but following it up with these moves significantly downgrades the defense for no reason.”
Jesse Courville-Lynch of the Hockey News was down on the Ceci signing, blasting Ceci’s defensive ability as “horrendous,” while suggesting that he also offers no offensive upside.
“It wasn’t a great signing, considering how many teams around the NHL seemingly avoided bringing him in,” Courville-Lynch wrote.
Brandon Croce’s take on the Dumoulin contract for the FanSided blog “Rink Royalty” wasn’t quite as harsh, noting that Dumoulin had a respectable Corsi For Percentage (CF%) while with the New Jersey Devils last season. However, noting that Dumoulin turns 34 in early September, Croce questioned the wisdom of giving him a three-year deal.
“Even at this point, the contract seems like a bit of an overpay so it is hard to imagine it gets better by the end as Dumoulin gets older and later into his career,” he wrote.
Criticism of Deals for Cody Ceci & Brian Dumoulin Comes From All Corners
Critics aren’t just questioning the performance of the players, they’re warning that these contracts could tie the Kings’ hands down the road. Heavy long-term deals for older defensemen could constrain the team’s ability to pursue emerging talent like Bowen Byram, a promising young blue-liner reportedly on LA’s radar.
What was pitched internally as rapid damage control after Gavrikov’s exit now reads as an early-season cautionary tale. The Kings replaced one defensive stalwart with two veterans whose best years may be behind them, and whose contracts are hardly bargain-bin priced.
If L.A. revs back up to midnight and makes a strong playoff push, this may yet be touted as necessary reinforcement. But if the blue line falters, these moves—their budgetary ramifications and their seeming lack of vision—may quickly come to define why the Kings couldn’t get out of their own way.
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