NHL News
Sharks Look for Winning Trade Return on Popular Defenseman
The San Jose Sharks are taking trade calls on Mario Ferraro in the hopes that a big return will be available before Friday’s NHL deadline.
With the market for quality NHL defensemen dwindling, the San Jose Sharks are going to see what offers are out there for one of their own top blueliners. According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, the Sharks are taking calls on Mario Ferraro ahead of Friday’s deadline and might be willing to pull the trigger on a trade if the return is solid.
LeBrun writes:
“San Jose Sharks are listening on LHD Mario Ferraro, 26, who has one more year on his deal next season at $3.25M cap hit. It doesn’t mean they’ll move him. Happy to keep him. But given the small number of D on the trade market, Sharks are seeing what comes their way.”
The plus for teams is that Ferraro isn’t expensive at $3.25 million. That makes him someone teams might look at. The downside is that the Sharks can’t retain salary on a trade (they’ve used all their retention slots) so a team has to take Ferraro at full price unless a third team gets involved.
Is Ferraro a Solid Gamble for a Contender?
He can produce and is steady, but the most attractive part about Ferraro’s game is that he a solid amount of minutes. He’s averaging over 21 minutes per game this season. He plays against tough competition and is used on the penalty kill. His numbers on a struggling San Jose team don’t look good, so it’s unclear how effective he’d be on a contender. Seeing as the Sharks will want a hefty return, this isn’t a slam-dunk decision.
The Sharks acquired Vincent Desharnais, potentially giving them a little flexibility to change up their blue line mix.
Next: Rantanen Gives Hurricanes His Answer, Carolina to Talk Trade
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