The Dallas Stars selected Joseph Cecconi in the 5th round with the 133rd overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft. The Stars drafted the defenseman after his second season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL. Cecconi has spent the last four years at the University of Michigan and has a very tough decision to make regarding his future in hockey.
The Wolverines were officially eliminated from playoff contention Saturday night after a loss to Minnesota. This game marked the final game Cecconi would play for the University. Now he has to make the decision to sign with the Dallas Stars or to wait until August 15th when he could become a free agent and sign with any team.
If he chooses to sign with the Stars that would give him the opportunity to play more games this season and to get some experience in the AHL before next season. If he chooses to wait it out and become a free agent he would not be able to play a game until next season. Teams like Buffalo, Detroit, and both New York teams come to mind as potential teams of interest for Cecconi if he chooses not to sign with Dallas.
Cecconi is a right-shot defenseman who played 147 games with the Michigan Wolverines. He recorded nine goals and 53 assists in those games. Cecconi is more of a defensive defenseman. He has spent the majority of this season on the top D pairing in Michigan next to Quinn Hughes. (Who has reportedly signed an entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks). He has also seen some time on the power play which adds another element to his game.
Cecconi would be a great addition for the Dallas Stars defensive depth. They should be trying to sign him to an entry-level contract. None of us know what Cecconi is thinking in terms of his future. Expect to hear something sooner rather than later.
Cover photo credit: Twitter.com (Joseph Cecconi)
Chris Bugajsky covers the Dallas Stars and the NHL for Full Press Coverage. Follow Chris on twitter @CBugajsky14.
