Heading into the offseason, the Chicago Blackhawks once again find themselves in a position with a top-five pick in the draft. While it’s exciting that they could be looking to add yet another young, talented player to a roster filled with them, they need to make some additions that will affect the roster now.
The free agent class this offseason is the weakest we’ve seen in years, with no real stars available, but one target I think would be a perfect fit for the Blackhawks is San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro.
Why Ferraro Is a Good Fit
The Blackhawks have so much talent up front that they’re already facing somewhat of a log jam with players like Anton Frondell, Sacha Boisvert, and Roman Kantserov looking to crack the everyday lineup.
It’s a different story when it comes to how the blue line is shaking out. Matt Grzelcyk is an unrestricted free agent (UFA) while Kevin Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro are both restricted free agents (RFA).
Although Grzelcyk was a good leader in the room, I would let him walk this offseason, and that is where Ferraro fits in for me to fill that spot on the left side.
It was reported by Elliotte Friedman on his latest edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast that it sounds like Ferraro will make it to free agency.
Other teams around the Blackhawks have made additions to their young roster to help in the present, while it feels like Chicago has lacked that a little bit. Kiefer Sherwood is a good example of that in San Jose, regardless of what you think of the contract he signed during the season.
Ferraro would slide into the lineup pretty well. He’s not a quick skater and won’t put up the big offensive numbers that a player like Rasmus Andersson, who could hit the open market this summer, might, but I do like Ferarro’s fit.