Ferraro joins UMass teammate at camp
ST. CATHARINES, ONT.— If Hockey Canada was aware of Mario Ferraro’s existence before this season, it wasn’t by much. The defenceman from King City is in his first Hockey Canada camp, trying to make the world junior team.
“I’m really thankful to be able to make a push and try to make this team,” Ferraro said
He was a second-round pick of the San Jose Sharks in June, so he was known to some scouts. He played Junior A, then in the USHL, and this year went off ply his trade at the University of Massachusetts.
Fortunately for Ferraro, his friend Cale Makar was on Hockey Canada’s radar. A Junior A player, too, Makar had represented Canada twice at the World Junior A Challenge. He was also MVP of the RBC Cup and a first-round, fourth-overall pick by Colorado in June.
Makar also went to the University of Massachusetts, where he and Ferraro became a defensive pairing. So when Hockey Canada head scout Brad McEwan went to watch Makar, he also saw Ferraro.
“Talk about finding a guy,” McEwan said. “He and Cale played together, and we were really impressed. We saw him for the first time. We went down to see Cale, and Mario was outstanding. The more we watched him, the more information we got, the more we liked him.
“He’s a competitive guy with good skill. He worked his tail off and here trying to make things happen.”
Ferraro knows it’s rare enough that players from the same major junior get invited to Canada’s selection camp. It’s rare enough that players from any U.S. college get invited. So two from the same program is a real jackpot.
“It feels amazing,” says Ferraro. “It’s a great opportunity I’ve gotten. I couldn’t be more thankful.”
Ferraro is perhaps a long shot to make Team Canada’s defence.
Jake Bean, Kale Clague and Dante Fabbro are returning from last year. Victor Mete, on loan from the Montreal Canadiens, is another with the inside track. Makar and Cal Foote also look to be at the top of their game.
So Ferraro is going for that seventh spot with Dennis Cholowski, Josh Mahura, Logan Stanley and Conor Timmins.