Perfect Harmony with Cody Ceci

Veteran defenseman Cody Ceci has made a name for himself in the NHL over the past 12 seasons, becoming a steady presence on the blue line for the Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, and most recently the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars. Upon inking his four-year deal with the Los Angeles Kings earlier this summer, he was closing in on 900 NHL games played, which, if all goes according to plan, he’s on pace to reach at some point this season.

Born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, Ceci formed a relationship with the ice early on. Cody’s mother, Karen, was a figure skater and had all her kids - Cody’s older sister, Chelsea, and younger brother, Cole, included - on the ice at a young age. Chelsea started playing hockey first and Cody followed in her footsteps. Cole became a goalie and is currently playing professional hockey in London, England.

Athleticism runs rampant in the Ceci family, as dad, Parri, was a Canadian Football League receiver who played with the Calgary Stampeders in the 1980s. Parri was the 1984 Vanier Cup MVP, and that year he set a record for an 89-yard reception.

“We definitely tried football at one point. I was playing hockey and lacrosse at the time so it was just a little too busy for me. But I did enjoy football and he obviously wanted me to at least try it,” remembers the 31-year-old Ceci, referring to his father. “So we all grew up playing sports and our parents were busy just brining us around to different rinks and playing all the sports, but we’re lucky that they put us in everything.”

Naturally, Ceci rooted for the Ottawa Senators while growing up, and his favorite player was then-Captain Daniel Alfredsson. It goes without saying that being a first-round pick by the Senators in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft was a dream come true for Ceci and his family. Ceci scored his first NHL goal on December 16th, 2013 in overtime as the Senators beat the St. Louis Blues, which made him the first teenager in NHL history to score his first NHL goal in extra time. Ceci went on to play parts of six seasons for his hometown Senators.

While he’s enjoyed success on the ice, he’s also become quite proficient at tickling the ivories.

“I’ve always had a piano wherever I go,” Ceci shares. “My grandma, my mom’s mom, she taught me growing up and then I ended up getting lessons for a little bit. I stopped for a while, and then when I started playing in the NHL I just had so much downtime, so I picked it up again.

Ceci’s piano playlist, like his listening playlist, consists of a pretty much everything. He plays classical music, specifically Yiruma, but will also play pop and rock. Chelsea plays the guitar and sings, and when they are both home for the summers, they play music together. The song “Zombie” by The Cranberries is happens to be a family favorite.

He has yet to add a piano to his new home furnishings in Los Angeles, but so far it hasn’t been an issue. Ceci and his wife, Jamie, have two children, a two-year-old daughter, Sawyer, and a new baby boy named Lincoln, in addition to their two French bulldogs, Zeus and Hugo. Needless to say the couple has had their hands full settling into their new environment in a new city with a new team.

“So far the lifestyle has been awesome,” Ceci admits. “Just being that close to the beach, being that close to the practice rink - I’ve spent most of my time in Canadian markets, colder markets, it is nice to be able to enjoy the outdoors and the sunshine, not having to dress up every day.”

The Cecis have had a few family beach days, which they’ve thoroughly enjoyed, and if Sawyer has anything to say about it there will definitely be a day in the not-so-distant future that is spent at Disneyland.

“We’re excited to take her. We’re going to give her a little bit of time so she knows a little more what’s going on. But she’s two-and-a-half. She watches all the movies, so yeah, she’s ready,” Ceci boasts of his daughter. “She’ll be excited.”

Ceci hasn’t had much trouble fitting in with his Kings teammates either, having played with a number of them on previous teams. Corey Perry and Warren Foegele were teammates of Ceci’s in Edmonton, he played with Trevor Moore in Toronto, and Brian Dumoulin was in Pittsburgh during Ceci’s stint with the Penguins.

“It always helps to have some familiar faces, especially going to a new team. You want to feel as comfortable as you can as quickly as you can,” Ceci asserts.

Regardless of what fresh experiences come Ceci’s way, hockey has taught him plenty of lessons about life that have him well-prepared.

“Can’t get too high or too low. There are so many ups and downs along the way that you have to have a short memory,” Ceci advises. “A lot of stuff happens so you just have to keep on trucking through and just enjoy the ride.”

Between hockey, music and his family, Cody Ceci has created the perfect harmony for life.