The New York Rangers are looking to make the playoffs this season and should look to bolster their blue line.
The Rangers added Vladisav Gavrikov this offseason to be a shutdown defenseman, but traded away K’Andre Miller, who was an offensive defenseman. With that, Heavy.com proposed a deal that would see the Rangers acquire Mario Ferraro from the San Jose Sharks in an intriguing move.
Rangers acquire:
- Mario Ferraro
- 2026 fourth-round pick (Florida)
Sharks acquire:
- Carson Soucy
- 2026 first-round pick (Carolina)
The proposed deal would be an intriguing one as New York would acquire Ferraro’s who is in the final year of his deal, and his name has come up in trade rumors. However, New York would give up a first-round pick and an NHL defenseman to make the salary work.
The Rangers would acquire Ferraro, who’s entering the final year of his four-year, $13 million deal. Ferraro is 26 and would help replace the offense of Miller, who was dealt this offseason. He recorded 5 goals and 12 assists for 17 points in 78 games, but that was on a bad San Jose team. So, with the Rangers, he should be able to produce even more offensively.
A big part of the return would be the first-round pick, but the Rangers would also trade Soucy. Soucy is in the final year of his three-year, $9.75 million deal and would replace Ferraro. Soucy could then be used as a trade chip at the deadline for the Sharks. He recorded 4 goals and 9 assists for 13 points in 75 games last season.
Ferraro is Open to a Change of Scenery
With Ferraro in the final year of his deal, his name has come up in trade rumors.
San Jose would likely be able to command a first-round pick, and NHL insider David Pagnotta believes a trade is likely.
“The Sharks are open to moving Ferraro, who is now in the last year of his contract,” Pagnotta wrote. “He hasn’t asked for a trade, but he would be open to a change of scenery, and with San Jose adding three new defencemen, now might be the time. Teams that reached out during the season will poke around this off-season.”
The Sharks would likely have several teams interested in him, and the Rangers should be one of the teams after him.
Rangers Pleased With Defensive Additions
New York’s big offseason moves were on defense, as the Rangers signed Gavrikov and traded away Miller.
The Rangers put an emphasis on being more defensively sound, which Gavrikov does.
“It starts in our D-zone,” Drury said when asked about how Gavrikov will improve the team. “We have to be better in our zone, we have to be better in front of (Igor Shesterkin) and (Jonathan Quick). To me, that’s the mindset he shows up with every single day.
“The size, the reach, the competitiveness, the way he defends and the way he is able to complement his partner, whether that’s (Adam) Fox or any other of our right-shot D that we have, that’s what excited all of us in targeting this player. Thrilled to be able to have him as a key part of that D corps,” Drury added.
The Rangers were 19th in the NHL in goals allowed last season.
Rangers Have Been Linked to Ferraro
New York has been linked to Ferraro earlier this offseason as the No. 2 left-shot defenseman behind Gavrikov.
Improving the defense is key, and NHL analyst Shayna Goldman of The Athletic links the Rangers to trading for Ferraro.
“The Sharks can consider a Mario Ferraro trade. Ferraro has a year left on his contract and could also be packaged as a deadline rental in March… The Rangers could still use help on the left behind free-agent signee, Vladislav Gavrikov,” Goldman wrote.
Ferraro has skated in 408 career games, recording 17 goals and 74 assists for 91 points.
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