The Ottawa Senators could still use another dependable defencemen, especially one that can calm things down a bit in their own zone. If Mario Ferraro ends up reaching free agency, it’s not hard to see why Ottawa would have interest.
The Senators already have players who can create offence from the back end. Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot both do it. Even beyond them, puck movement is not really the biggest concern. The issue has been the defensive side when games start opening up too much or momentum swings the wrong way.
Ferraro is a near-perfect fit for the Senators
Ferraro’s game is kind of the opposite of flashy. He keeps things simple. He plays physical, blocks shots, battles along the boards, and takes a lot of the harder defensive matchups. There are nights where that type of player matters more than another defenceman trying to jump into the rush every second shift.
What probably helps his value too is context. He's spent years with the San Jose Sharks playing on teams that struggled badly overall, and that can make any defenceman look worse than they actually are. A lot of players end up looking more comfortable once they’re put into a cleaner role on a better team. Ottawa could give him that opportunity.
The fit beside Sanderson especially makes sense. Sanderson is at his best when he’s attacking and moving freely through the neutral zone. Having somebody more defensive-minded beside him would probably help balance that pairing out. Ferraro doesn’t need the puck all the time to be effective, and honestly, every pairing needs somebody willing to do the less noticeable work.
At 27, he also fits where the Senators are at right now. He’s experienced enough to help immediately but not old enough where tenure becomes a huge concern. And maybe this is the type of move Ottawa actually needs more than people think. Not the massive swing that wins headlines for a week, but one that quietly fixes part of the roster that has been inconsistent for a while now.
If Steve Staios wants the Senators to become tougher defensively and a little more reliable game-to-game, Ferraro feels like a pretty reasonable target.
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