New York Rangers reportedly set to target top defenseman at the NHL trade deadline
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The San Jose Sharks rebuild will continue as they will need to move on from players and veterans with term. They recently moved Mikael Granlund, and now the Rangers should consider targeting veteran defenseman Mario Ferraro.
The New York Rangers have numerous names on the trade block, and one trouble spot is the team's blue line.
The majority of the team's defensive core has been named as a trade target, aside from Adam Fox this season.
If the team does move on from Ryan Lindgren, who has generated interest they should consider a replacement.
That could come from the San Jose Sharks veteran Mario Ferraro, who is a big-bodied defenseman at 6'0, 210 pounds. He could add some meaningful size to the lineup, and stabilize a defensive core in flux.
Ferraro could be an affordable addition with a cap hit of $3.25 million AAV, and as a pending UFA the team could explore extending him when the salary cap does rise.
Unlike Barclay Goodrow, and the trade fiasco which resulted in him being waived, and claimed by the Sharks GM Chris Drury shouldn't have this issue.
Ferraro has no trade protections and could find himself in an important role for the Rangers.
He can eat plenty of minutes on the ice, as he's played 57 games this season for the Sharks, and he's played an average of 21:10 TOI.
He's scored 11 points (5 G, 6 A) and 117 hits.
He is proving that he can take on more responsibilities as he moves into his mid-20s and fleshes out his game. Is a solid puck mover and an increasingly effective defender who keeps his cool even when he is pressured by opposing forwards. He can play in any situation, can devour huge minutes and may be most effective when paired with an offensive-minded partner.
These kinds of descriptors make him the ideal fit for Adam Fox's left, and given the Rangers need more help on the blue line, GM Chris Drury should inquire about the left-shot defenseman.
Ferraro made his NHL debut on October 2nd, 2019, and has been a mainstay in the Sharks lineup since.
He's played 387 games in the NHL, scored 85 points (17 G, 68 A), and is on the Sharks' second pair with Jack Thompson.
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