Ceci for Copp doesn't make a whole lot of sense once you've acquired Dumba for that side, particularly when it costs us a second. And center isn't exactly the position at which Toronto needs help.

Let's imagine the Leaf pulled off that Minni trade. If the cap allows it....by TDL, I'd rather keep Ceci as 7th Dman. Six weeks regular season, hopefully long playoff run...probably need 7 maybe 8 NHL Dmen.

Would Ceci do well on the bottom pair with Dermott? The most frequent complaint I heard when Babcock was coach was Rielly/Ceci was a bad pair. I know $4.5m is a lot for a bottom pair guy, but as you said, roster depth is key come playoff time.

Let's say Ceci is bottom pair guys and he makes 4.5m. Really means nothing. He's in your top six, and until there is a replacement that can play as well as better than him, he has the stay. The cap means nothing, especially now that half the season is over.
Forget about the pairings.... Fact. Reilly was terrible for the first eight games. Just defensively irresponsible, he might have been the Leafs worse Dman. Barrie might have been the worse Leaf Dman in the October and November till Keefe. Right now, I don't know if it's much the pairings but the Dmen and the forwards all look good. Ceci and Dermot don't know if they are bottom pairing guys,,since they do play the PK, and have to play against all lines, but they certainly look competent. Think fans don't appreciate Dermot enough. Last year he played with a Russian rookie and they did OK. This year now that he's back from injury he played with the whipping boy Ceci, and that pair are doing OK.