Sharks trade two pending unrestricted free agents to Dallas Stars

SAN JOSE — The San Jose Sharks have traded their two most notable pending unrestricted free agents — center Mikael Granlund and defenseman Cody Ceci — to the Dallas Stars.

The Sharks on Saturday sent Granlund and Ceci to the Stars for Dallas’ 2025 first-round selection, and a conditional 2025 third-round pick.

San Jose will receive Dallas’ 2025 third-round selection if Dallas advances to this year’s Stanley Cup Final. If Dallas does not reach the Stanley Cup Final, the Sharks will receive a 2025 fourth-round selection, originally owned by the Winnipeg Jets, instead.

Granlund, 32, was the Sharks’ leading scorer this season and the right-shot Ceci, 31, was used on San Jose’s top defense pair since the start of training camp. Both in the final years of their respective contracts and were set to become UFAs this summer.

Granlund, the Sharks’ No. 1 center used in all situations, led the Sharks with 45 points in 52 games and all of the team’s forwards in average time on ice (20:51).

Since being acquired by the Sharks in Aug. 2023 as part of the deal that sent Erik Karlsson to Pittsburgh, Granlund’s also been valuable off the ice, helping young forwards like William Eklund, Fabian Zetterlund, Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith make the adjustment to the NHL.

Ceci figured to be a valuable commodity. Ceci was second among all Sharks skaters in average ice time (21:46) and led the team in penalty killing minutes and blocked shots (98). Ceci has also played in 88 playoff games in his 12-year NHL career, including playing 24 postseason games last year with the Edmonton Oilers on their way to the Cup Final.

Earlier this week, Ceci said he would love to stay in San Jose, “but there’s also a business side of things where they have to move pieces around and think about the future, so I get that part as well.”

Please check back for updates to this story.