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Posted Jul 2, 2026, 11:07 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Posts: 8,304
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‘Wanted to be in a place that I’ve heard treats players well’
Jets’ culture worth more than bigger payday for defenceman Ferraro
Mike McIntyre
Thursday, Jul. 2, 2026
JEFF CHIU / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES
One of the newest Winnipeg Jets, Mario Ferraro, said Thursday he’s “pumped” to play in Winnipeg because “going into that building and feeling the passion that those fans bring to the game is super special.”
Mario Ferraro had one specific criteria he was looking for when it came to finding a new hockey home. So when the Winnipeg Jets came calling with a Canada Day offer, the veteran defenceman didn’t need much convincing.
“The number one priority is: I want to win,” Ferraro said Thursday on a Zoom call with media, one day after signing a three-year contract that will pay him US$4 million annually.
“I want to be on a team that’s in a position to do so, and I see that here in Winnipeg,”
Is he talking about the same Jets team coming off a disappointing season in which they finished 27th overall in the NHL and failed to make the playoffs?
Ferraro believes that will prove to be the exception, not the rule.
“It was only a couple years ago, Presidents’ Trophy winners, and they’ve had so much success,” he said.
“Playing against them for the first seven years of my career, starting on the West Coast here, I know the talent that they have and the players that they have and what they’re capable of.”
The Jets are certainly counting on a quick rebound, and bringing Ferraro into the fold could help the cause. The 27-year-old is a hard-nosed, physical defenceman capable of filling a shutdown role while also possessing the skating ability and instincts to jump into the rush when the opportunity presents itself.
Expect him to slot into the third pairing — behind Josh Morrissey and Dylan Samberg on the left side — alongside one of right-shot defenders Dylan DeMelo, Neal Pionk or Elias Salomonsson.
“I think one of my better abilities is my availability. And being able to be out there and compete and work and put my body on the line for the team,” said Ferraro, who played all 82 games last year for the San Jose Sharks and is now up to 490 in his career.
Ferraro established career highs with seven goals and 23 points last season while blocking 150 shots — tops on the Sharks and tied for 16th in the NHL.
“I think I improved in a lot of areas. Consistency at doing the little things in the defensive zone that I bring to my game was really important for me last year and I thought I did a better job defensively overall,” he said.
“I want to be a little bit more active when I can, whether it’s joining the rush or getting pucks through from the blue line. I think I had more opportunity last year to do that, and I think I succeeded a bit more in that. It’s something I want to continue working on, but I think I definitely took a jump forward.”
Plenty of hockey pundits expressed surprise Wednesday at Ferraro’s contract, believing he would command a bigger payday in a relatively shallow free-agent market.
Turns out money wasn’t everything.
“I wanted to be in a place that I’ve heard treats players well. I have a family now, and I’ve heard great things about how they treat players (in Winnipeg). That’s important to me,” said Ferraro.
“I’m happy to be where I am, and excited to get going. This is going to be an exciting year.”
Ferraro already has some familiarity with a few new teammates, having played on Canada’s men’s World Championship team with Cole Perfetti and Gabe Vilardi in Latvia back in 2021.
“We were there during the COVID year. We had a tight group, a fun group. We ended up winning gold that year. So that was an awesome experience for me, representing Canada alongside those guys, two really good teammates on the team,” he said.
“It’ll be fun to kind of reunite with them. And playing in the Western Conference for seven years, and playing against the Jets, kind of have an on ice relationship with some of those guys as well, competing against them.”
Another perk? The Toronto native, selected 49th overall by the Sharks in 2017, will finally get to play in a Canadian market.
“I’m extremely pumped up about that. Such a great fan base in Winnipeg. Going into that building and feeling the passion that those fans bring to the game is super special,” said Ferraro.
Of course, one door opening in Winnipeg meant another closed in San Jose — a franchise that finally appears headed in the right direction after years of rebuilding. Much of that optimism centres around phenom Macklin Celebrini.
“If he isn’t already, he’s going to be the face of the NHL. Just his preparation, his work ethic, the way he competes, the way he plays. He’s a leader and leads by example out there,” said Ferraro, who served as alternate captain with the Sharks for the past four years.
“He’s a special player and it was cool to learn from him. These young guys coming in, you think as the older guy you’re always going to be the leader and show them the ropes. I think he really just took it upon himself and was a leader for other guys, including guys like me. There’s things he’s taught me that I’m going to bring to Winnipeg. Maybe not the on-ice performance, the goals he puts up. But his personality and the way he prepares on and off the ice. I wish him luck in his career. I don’t think he’ll need it.”
Ultimately, the Sharks decided to move on from Ferraro, reshaping their blue line with the additions of Jacob Trouba, Darnell Nurse and Michael Kesselring this summer. That’s the nature of the business, and Ferraro harbours no hard feelings.
“I’m extremely grateful for the Sharks and the opportunities they’ve given me over the years. It’s tough saying goodbye,” he said.
“But I’m excited for the next chapter. I think it was my time, but I’m ready to start the year as a Jet and I’m pumped up to win here. That’s part of the game. Again, I’m extremely grateful. But I’m also extremely honoured and grateful to get started here in Winnipeg.”
After signing Ferraro, goaltender Stuart Skinner and depth forward Noah Gregor on the first day of free agency, the Jets made one additional move on day two by inking defenceman Henry Thrun to a one-year, two-way contract.
Thrun, 25, spent last year with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, playing in four games with the big club and the majority with the American Hockey League’s Marlies, helping lead them to a Calder Cup championship last month.
The left-shooting Thrun — who is from Massachusetts and is 6-2 and 211 pounds — has appeared in 123 career NHL games (five goals, 20 assists) since being drafted 101st overall by the Anaheim Ducks in 2019. The majority (119) of those games came as a teammate of Ferraro’s in San Jose.
He’ll join the likes of Haydn Fleury and Jack St. Ivany in jockeying for depth positions outside Winnipeg’s top six.
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Winnipeg Free Press
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