The Oilers are down another defenceman.

According to Jason Gregor, Cody Ceci has been placed in COVID-19 protocol. Markus Niemelainen has been recalled from the Bakersfield Condors in his place. The team&#8217;s practice has also been canceled for precautionary reasons.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Cody Ceci placed in COVID protocol. Keith to IR and Niemelainen recalled.
Oilers practice cancelled for precautionary reasons. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NHL</a>
&mdash; Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonGregor/status/1465709065170939919?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Ceci will need to produce two negative tests 24 hours apart (<a href="https://media.nhl.com/site/asset/public/ext/2021-22/2021-22COVIDProtocol.pdf">there&#8217;s a helpful chart on page 18 of this document to show how the process works</a>) in order to be removed from the protocol, so he won&#8217;t be playing in Edmonton&#8217;s game Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Niemelainen was a third-round pick of the Oilers in 2016. He played two seasons in the OHL and then returned to Finland where he played four seasons professionally before inking his entry-level deal with the Oilers. In 21 games with the Condors last season, Niemelainen scored six points, and he has three points in 14 games this season.
He&#8217;s a big, physical, defensive defender, and I had him ranked as <a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2021/08/07/ons-2021-prospects-countdown-no-20-markus-niemelainen/">Edmonton&#8217;s No. 20 prospect back in August</a>.
Without Ceci, we&#8217;ll likely see Kris Russell slide over to the right side and play alongside either Niemelainen or William Lagesson on the team&#8217;s third pair.

The Oilers are down another defenceman.



According to Jason Gregor, Cody Ceci has been placed in COVID-19 protocol. Markus Niemelainen has been recalled from the Bakersfield Condors in his place. The team's practice has also been canceled for precautionary reasons.

https://twitter.com/JasonGregor/status/1465709065170939919?s=20

Ceci will need to produce two negative tests 24 hours apart (<a href="https://media.nhl.com/site/asset/public/ext/2021-22/2021-22COVIDProtocol.pdf">there's a helpful chart on page 18 of this document to show how the process works</a>) in order to be removed from the protocol, so he won't be playing in Edmonton's game Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Niemelainen was a third-round pick of the Oilers in 2016. He played two seasons in the OHL and then returned to Finland where he played four seasons professionally before inking his entry-level deal with the Oilers. In 21 games with the Condors last season, Niemelainen scored six points, and he has three points in 14 games this season.

He's a big, physical, defensive defender, and I had him ranked as <a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2021/08/07/ons-2021-prospects-countdown-no-20-markus-niemelainen/">Edmonton's No. 20 prospect back in August</a>.

Without Ceci, we'll likely see Kris Russell slide over to the right side and play alongside either Niemelainen or William Lagesson on the team's third pair.

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