Ferraro making strides in defense
The second year defenseman looks impressive in camp
Mario Ferraro has impressed the San Jose Sharks’ coaching staff so far in training camp — so much so that Bob Boughner said the second-year defenseman might be ready for a bigger role with the team at the start of the season.
Boughner said Ferraro was the Sharks’ best defenseman during the team’s controlled scrimmage Sunday, and would, as of now, have no problem putting him on one of San Jose’s top two defense pairs for its Jan. 14 season opener against the Arizona Coyotes. Ferraro was mainly on the Sharks’ third defense pair as a rookie last season.
“There’s major strides in his maturity, and I think his confidence,” Boughner said. “I wouldn’t be surprised, opening night puck drop, that he’s not sitting in our top four if he keeps progressing in camp like he is.”
Right now, the Sharks’ top two defense pairs are presumed to be Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Erik Karlsson, and Radim Simek and Brent Burns. Like Vlasic and Simek, Ferraro is a left shot defenseman, but he also is comfortable playing on the right side.
Boughner was later asked if that means he’s looking for more from some guys in his presumed top four. Not necessarily, he said.
“I’m not saying anybody’s off. I’m just saying that you can tell Mario, he’s one of those guys that catches your eye every shift doing something.” Boughner said. “His energy and his intensity, those are the things you notice.”
Ferraro’s continued improvement in the eyes of the coaching staff is a nice insurance policy for the Sharks should anything
happen to one of their more seasoned blueliners. The Sharks did not add a defensemen in free agency, and the candidates for the sixth and seventh defensemen jobs are largely inexperienced.
Ferraro was the Sharks’ top rookie last season. With a seemingly endless reservoir of energy, he was able to win an NHL job out of training camp. In 61 games, he averaged close to 16 minutes of ice time per night -- sixth most among all Sharks defensemen.
Boughner said Ferraro, who had 11 points last season, looks more confident than he did at the 2019 camp.
“He’s got leadership qualities. I think he’s a guy that people gravitate to,” Boughner said. “He’s one of those guys, he brings life to every situation. He’s very likeable, the guys love having him around. I just think that one day, you’re going to see him wearing a letter.”
In the Sharks’ scrimmage Sunday, Ferraro had a goal for Team White with assists credited to winger Joachim Blichfeld and defenseman Nicolas Meloche. Joel Kellman also scored, as Team White won 2- 0. Martin Jones and Alexei Melnichuk combined for Team White’s shutout, as the game was played in two 20-minute halves.
“It felt really good to be back in game situation-style. It’s been quite a while,” Ferraro said. “But to be out there, I was just really excited. It’s been a while since we’ve scrimmaged and played a real five- on-five.” LEONARD GETTING NOTICED >> Boughner liked what he saw from winger John Leonard, who has been on the same line as Patrick Marleau and Noah Gregor on what might turn out to be the Sharks’ third line to start the season.
Leonard, 22, led the NCAA in goals last season with 27.
“It’s easier to see in a scrimmage than it is in practice. when you’re in traffic and you’ve got to make tight plays, you can tell he’s got that offense to his game,” Boughner said. “He’s got that hockey sense to the game. I was really happy with him today.” SKATING IN SUPPORT >> Forward Kurtis Gabriel unveiling a pair of skates this week that displayed his support of the Black Lives Matter movement and the LGBTQ+ community. One skate features the pride colors on the sides and the message ‘Love is Love” on the heel. The other has ‘BLM’ on the sides with ‘Hope,’ ‘Empathy’ and ‘Change’ written in between a solidarity fist on the heel portion.