The Blue Jackets should consider pursuing this Sharks defenseman if he hits the free-agent market this summer.
The Columbus Blue Jackets should be looking to improve their roster this off-season after failing to make the playoffs again this year. When looking at their current group, one area that they should be aiming to upgrade is their defense.
This year's free agent class has some interesting potential options for the Blue Jackets to consider. One specific pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) who stands out as an interesting potential target for the Blue Jackets is San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro.
If the Blue Jackets landed Ferraro, he would give them another strong option to work with in their top four due to his ability to play both sides. However, even if he played on their bottom pairing and penalty kill, he would have the potential to be a very good addition to Columbus' blueline due to his steady defensive play and grit.
Ferraro appeared in 82 games this season with the Sharks, where he recorded seven goals, 16 assists, 23 points, 137 hits, and 150 blocks. With numbers like these, Ferraro provides a bit of everything from the point and would be a very solid player for the Blue Jackets to add to their blueline this off-season because of it.
However, if Ferraro ends up hitting the free-agent market and the Blue Jackets target him im, they would need to offer him a pretty high payday to successfully land him. This is because Ferraro is a legitimate top-four defenseman and one of the top pending UFAs heading into the summer. Because of this, interest in his services will be incredibly high, and this only helps raise his value. With this, Ferraro will certainly be looking for a raise from his current $3.25 million AAV.
Yet, with the Blue Jackets being in need of some help on their blueline, bringing in a hard-nosed defenseman who is strong defensively like Ferraro would make sense for them. He may not be the flashiest of blueliners, but he is dependable, and it also does not hurt that he is right in his prime at 27 years old.
However, with how important of a defenseman Ferraro is to the Sharks' blueline, it is very likely that they will be working hard to keep him around in San Jose. Yet, if he ends up testing free agency, the Blue Jackets should make a real push for him.
In 490 career NHL games over seven seasons, Ferraro has recorded 24 goals, 90 assists, 114 points, 216 penalty minutes, 920 blocks, and 955 hits.