Mario Ferraro was a leader on and off the ice this season for a San Jose Sharks team that’s working to get back to playoff level competitiveness. In his sixth season with the Sharks, Ferraro has grown into his role and is working on becoming more consistent game over game.
During his exit interview a few weeks ago, the alternate captain talked about recovering from the injury that knocked him out of the last few games of the season, where he sees the Sharks going in the near future and the potential next captain of the team.
How do you summarize the season as a whole?
“It’s tough. It’s a tough season for us. Obviously, [we] would have liked to have more success, but at the same time, I think there’s a lot of things to look forward to. We’ve shown flashes throughout the year. I thought we competed. As much as we lost a lot of tight games, third period games, overtime opportunities, at the end of the day we competed. I think we’re starting to build the right foundation.
“Unfortunately, the success wasn’t there, but I think we’re headed in the right direction into next season. Again, this summer is going to be huge for our group, but I think that the year has, despite it being tough, it’s left me motivated to have a good summer and to come back next year, ready to go and ready to compete again, and then hopefully, have some more success.”
How important is the offseason as you recover from injury and head into a contract year? What do you need to do to take the next step?
“In terms of recovery, I’ve dealt with this. You guys have been around. I dealt with some ankle stuff, blocking shots. It’s happened. So, I’m not concerned about that. Just some rest and I’m fortunate. It could have been worse. I’m fortunate it happened at a time where we’re not playing anymore. I missed a few games, which sucks. I had goals of playing in every game, but it didn’t happen. But I know the recovery I’m confident on and I think it’ll go smooth.
“In terms of the summer and contract year, I’m going to treat it like every summer. I don’t think my game hasn’t changed a lot in six years, aside from, hopefully, you guys agree, the consistency and solid play. That is my goal for the summer is to continue to grow in my defensive game and be more consistent there, and try and get involved offensively when I get in. I think that’s the most important thing for me is just being as consistent as I can defensively with my puck play and getting involved. I think it’s just going to come with repetition after repetition. That’s what the summer is for. It’s to get better, and that’s my mindset. But I’m going to come into next year like I do usually, to compete my butt off and do the same thing I’ve done over the past six years.”
Is your goal to be a Shark long-term? Is going into a potential free agency nerve-wracking in a way?
“There’s a lot of things that happen that are out of your control or out of my control, but no, of course, I’m a Shark. I want to win here, so that is the goal. That’s the mindset; that’s the goal as an organization, is to win, and that’s the goal for me as an individual, is to win as a Shark. So that’s what I’m excited for. I’m excited to compete and train this summer and get ready for that. But, yeah, like I said, there’s things that happen that are out of my control, but I don’t really tend to focus on that. I just focus on getting better as a player and doing what I can help this team win.”
Every season missing the playoffs is a disappointment, but how does this season, with the prospects for the future, change your mindset about what the future brings?
“There’s a lot of positives to look at. You can see where the talent is. You can see what these young guys are going to provide; who the future is for this organization. You could see it this year. We competed. We were in games a lot more than I thought we were last year. We just couldn’t … we didn’t have quite the maturity to close out those games and to finish solid in third periods or critical situations, which I think just comes with comfort in the league and maturity as a team.
“So I think time is going to help this core a lot. Unfortunately, it’s been some time since we’ve had that extremely competitive season where we’re fighting for a playoff spot, but I think it’s a lot closer than people think. I’m excited to continue to improve as an individual, and I hope that my teammates take pride in that, too. I know that they do, judging by who they are as people and as players. So it’s going to be fun, I’m excited for training camp to see how everyone’s improved from the work in the summer.”
Watching Logan Couture’s press conference, did you ever think, “Damn, I just missed that. I was right there?”
“Yeah. I mean, obviously, it was an extremely long ride for that successful era. They were in playoff races, Stanley Cup Finals, that year that they lost in the conference final. I wish I was to be a part of that, but there’s some motive within me that … I don’t know the right word for it, but I’m proud of what I’ve gone through here and what we’ve gone through as a team, and to be able to still show up at the rink and compete and put a smile on my face. It motivates me to be in that scenario where we’re in a playoff run and we’re in a final knowing from where we’ve come from.
“So that’s what I think I hold on to, and I look forward to, as an individual, being a part of this organization, is since I came around, we haven’t made the playoffs yet. It really fires me up to think that day is going to come, and when it does, knowing what we’ve gone through to get here is really what makes it feel so good. It’s the journey. I like that growth mentality and getting from A to B and grinding to do it. I’m excited for my turn to come. So as much as I miss those days and as much as I wish I was there with those guys and that conference final appearance, I look forward to earning our way with this team here to come.”
What are your plans for the summer?
“Going to Florida. My parents are there. I have a place there, so I’m going to go. It’s really hot there right now, but I don’t mind it. It’s a good getaway. Gonna step away from the rink for a bit and enjoy some nice weather, some nice family time, and then get back in the gym and get ready. I’ll be back here a little sooner this year, a little earlier.”
Ferraro on whether he could be the next captain of the Sharks
“I mean it’d be an honor to be the captain of any team, especially at this level, in an organization, but it’s not something that we’re thinking about right now. It’s not up to me. I think there’s a lot of guys that are going to step up here and I think guys have to come together. I think that’s what we’re focused on right now is guys coming together.
“Obviously, we’re sad that Logan’s gone; he’s such a special person and player for this organization. To fill that role is extremely hard, and I don’t think one man can do it right now. We need everybody to come together, all the A’s, all the young guys, to come together and help fill that role. So, that’s sort of how we think it.”
