Report: Senators sign Ceci, but fail to work out long-term deal.

The Ottawa Senators have finished up one of their most important pieces of business this summer, a new contract for restricted free agent defenseman Cody Ceci, however it's likely not the deal the Senators fan base was hoping to see from their organization.

The Sens released the following official announcement:

Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion announced today that the club has agreed to terms with defenceman Cody Ceci to a two-year contract which will run through the end of the 2017-18 National Hockey League season. The average annual value of the contract is $2.8 million ($2.25M, $3.35M).

There were reports that Ceci was looking for a long-term contract in the ballpark of six years, and today Senators insider Bruce Garrioch appeared to confirm those reports indicating that the Senators were not willing to commit for that long.

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The reason so many fans were hoping to see a long-term deal here, is the fact that Ceci at 22 years of age is about to enter his prime, and two years from now the price to sign him may not be one that Senators owner Eugene Melnyk is willing to pay.