Revisiting the Sharks & Oilers Emberson-for-Ceci Trade – The Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

The recent trade between the Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks involving Darnell Nurse isn’t the first time the two franchises have connected on a deal to swap blue liners. It was exactly two years ago today the Oilers sent Cody Ceci and a third-round pick to the Sharks in exchange for Ty Emberson. The trade came less than two months after Edmonton lost in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final and was looking to retool for another run. The Sharks meanwhile, were looking for some veteran leadership during a rebuild.

It was a bit of a surprise at the time to see Ceci dealt, given his chemistry with the team and so close to the season. The Oilers wanted to move on and were looking to get younger, and that’s what they saw in another right-shot defender in Emberson. Now two years removed from this deal and so much having transpired, it begs the question: who won this trade?

Oilers Receive Ty Emberson

Emberson came into Edmonton and provided almost exactly what they needed: back end stability. Whether fans noticed or not, his first two seasons with the team have been quietly solid in all categories. His offence is sufficient enough for a third pairing guy, posting 25 points across two seasons. He blocked 97 shots in 2024-25 and 106 last season, which was fourth-best on the Oilers. He was also fifth-best in hits with 107 last season.

The young defenseman has shown up in the playoffs as well. In two postseasons, he averaged two hits per game and one and a half blocks while playing around 10:30 per game.

Emberson is still very young and after signing an extension with the team last spring, he could very well expect another deal in the future if he keeps up his consistent play. He has been cycled through different partners amid some turnover on the Oilers’ blue line which has led to struggles, but overall the potential is there.

Sharks Get Cody Ceci, Pick

Ceci joined a Sharks team rebuilding and looking for some veterans to support the youth as mentioned. He played 54 games with the team in 2024-25, recording four goals and 15 points in that span. He was a large part of the defence in his short time in San Jose, averaging nearly 22 minutes per game and blocking 100 shots. He averaged almost a giveaway per game, but things like that will happen playing top line minutes for a struggling team.

With third-round pick in this trade, the Sharks selected Teddy Mutryn out of the United States Hockey League (USHL). He played 2025-26 with the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), scoring 68 points in 54 games, and will spend this season with the NCAA’s Boston College Eagles. He is only 19 years old so he has a long career ahead of him and the early signs of success are definitely there.

Sharks or Oilers: Who Won This Deal?

This trade would be a lot closer had we seen Ceci’s time in San Jose run a bit longer, but the trade to the Dallas Stars cut that short. Mutryn’s potential is also there, but as we know with prospects, anything can and will happen. With all that said, the Oilers win this trade two years to the day. Emberson has been a great addition to the team’s third pairing and provides stability in a variety of areas for a contending team while also showing great potential of being part of Edmonton’s future plans.

Two years later: Oilers take the win.