After seven seasons in the Bay Area, Mario Ferraro won't be suiting up for the San Jose Sharks this coming season. The long-time Sharks blue liner hit unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career and was quickly signed by the Winnipeg Jets, sending him back north of the border for the first time in his professional career. Despite just being 27 years old, Ferraro spent quite a bit of his time with San Jose serving as a key leader for the rebuilding team. He was an alternate captain for four seasons, beginning with the 2021-22 campaign. Even though he was a young player himself, he never shirked off his responsibilities as a leader and was often called upon by the media after the Sharks' most difficult losses for his honesty and willingness to address tough topics as needed. For the past few seasons, his name was constantly floated around as the NHL Trade Deadline approached, but Mike Grier opted to keep the defenseman until his contract officially expired this summer. Across seven seasons, Ferraro appeared in 490 games for the Sharks and registered 114 points (24 goals and 90 assists), 216 penalty minutes and was a -121. Especially in his last couple of seasons with the Sharks, Ferraro was often relied upon as the team's top defenseman, a role he simply wasn't a fit for. Now, he'll have an opportunity to get things back on track in a more limited role for Winnipeg.
