Getty San Jose Sharks top-pair defenseman Mario Ferraro.
The Toronto Maple Leafs “have their eyes” on San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro and could try to complete a trade for the blueline before the start of the 2024-25 season.
According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, in a report published on June 11, the Leafs are showing interest in Ferraro after already doing so during the season.
My latest (from the airport):
– #SJSharks willing to trade Ferraro; Kunin extension talks
– Marner & #LeafsForever update
– #Canucks, Myers still talking; Lafferty to hit market
– #CauseChaos Necas trade talks
– #Flames & #NJDevils on Markstrom
+ more
“The Leafs had their eyes on Ferraro and Sharks forward Luke Kunin during the season and it’s entirely possible Toronto GM Brad Treliving circles back on both this off-season – but he may have to work fast,” Pagnotta wrote.
Pagnotta believes the asking price for Ferraro would be high for the interested teams, which include the Leafs, the Nashville Predators, the Calgary Flames, the Carolina Hurricanes, and the Chicago Blackhawks.
“I would imagine a first-round draft pick is part of the ask, along with a top-ranked prospect and possibly another high asset,” Pagnotta wrote.
The steep price reflects Ferraro’s value for the Sharks even amid an ongoing rebuilding process in San Jose, and if the Leafs want to get the best blueliner of that franchise they will need to pay a high price.
Ferraro’s Situation with the Sharks
Mario Ferraro, a 25-year-old defenseman, was targeted by several teams before the trade deadline although the Sharks decided to hold onto him.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on this at the start of December 2023, naming Ferraro as the player on the Sharks’ defense that teams “would have more interest in.”
Ferraro has two years remaining on his contract with a $3.25 million cap hit, and he expressed his desire to stay in San Jose if possible when talking to San Jose Hockey Now’s Sheng Peng on December 8, 2023.
“I feel like I have unfinished business here,” Ferraro told Peng. “This organization has done so much for me, right? I feel like I still owe them and the fans.”
Peng wrote in that same column that Ferraro “hadn’t talked about a potential trade with [Sharks General Manager Mike] Grier” back then.
Although Grier kept Ferraro in tow past the 2024 trade deadline, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him move the defenseman at some point in the future.
Since taking over the GM position in 2022, Grier has traded veteran stars Brent Burns, Timo Meier, and Erik Karlsson, which doesn’t bode well for Ferraro’s future in San Jose if the right offer arrives at the Sharks headquarters.
Ferraro played 78 games in 2024 scoring 3 goals and providing 18 assists on the Sharks top-pairing, per Daily Faceoff. He also led all Sharks skaters with 1,784 minutes averaging 22:52 TOI.
David Pagnotta reported the Leafs’ interest in Ferraro on February 20, 2024, a little over two weeks before the March 8 trade deadline.
“The Toronto Maple Leafs have interest in Ferraro and are more likely to move a first-round pick for an asset with term,” Pagnotta wrote. “Including a first-rounder in a package could be of interest to both clubs.”
Leafs Urged to ‘Chase Big Fish’ Defensemen
The Maple Leafs have also been urged to spend top-dollar money to strengthen their blue line ahead of the 2024-25 season.
According to reports from various sources including James Mirtle of The Athletic and NHL insider Chris Johnston, the Leafs should and would be targeting high-profile defensemen during the offseason to bolster their top-six corps on defense.
Potential targets include Carolina Hurricanes’ Brady Skjei, Vancouver Canucks’ Nikita Zadorov, and Dallas Stars’ Chris Tanev, who Jonas Siegel of The Athletic identified as the “best three fits on defense” for the Leafs.
Hurricanes’ Skjei, who scored 13 goals and had 34 assists in 80 games last season, is expected to command a high salary. Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic thinks “There is a team about to pay him $7 million per season.”
“One phone call can change everything but right now I have to say to you it looks bleak..”
@DhaliwalSports on the latest he is hearing around Nikita Zadorov and the #Canucks
Canucks’ Nikita Zadorov’s situation with the Canucks remains uncertain. The defensive defenseman played 54 games last season, but a report by Rick Dhaliwal at the start of June indicates that negotiations between him and the team have stalled.
“One phone call can change everything but right now I have to say to you it looks bleak,” said Dhaliwal said about Zadorov’s future with the Canucks on June 6.
Finally, Stars’ Chris Tanev, a veteran defenseman, might also be a target for the Leafs. Luszczyszyn noted that while Tanev is valuable, his age could be a concern.
“If the term is short, he’s definitely worth $4.5 million or $5 million,” Luszczyszyn wrote.
Maple Leafs’ Defensemen Headed to Free Agency
The Leafs will need to make some decisions on their own pending free agents pertaining to the blue line.
Joel Edmundson and Ilya Lyubushkin are two Leafs whose contracts will run out on June 30 and who are expected to enter free agency on July 1.
Toronto traded for Edmundson before the 2024 trade deadline with the defenseman playing under the final year of a four-year, $14 million contract.
Lyubushkin also arrived in Toronto midway through the 2024 season via trade, and he’s finishing a two-year, $5.5 million deal.
The Leafs’ approach to the off-season will significantly impact their defensive lineup. The potential acquisition of Ferraro or other top-tier defensemen could address the team’s defensive needs as they prepare for the upcoming season.
It’s unknown, however, if the Leafs will be willing to send San Jose as many assets as the Sharks might demand.
PuckPedia projects the Leafs to have almost $20 million in cap space entering the NHL draft. If the franchise opts for signing an “economical” goalie, as Mirtle suggests, “that leaves close to $13 million to spend and three roster holes.”
Other pending free agents in the Leafs’ defense corps entering the offseason, per Spotrac, include Jacob Muzzin, T.J. Brodie, John Klingberg, Timothy Liljegren, Mark Giordano, and Maxime Lajoie.