FERRARO A HOT COMMODITY FOR SAN JOSE

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — As the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers make their way to Alberta for Games 3 and 4 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, the other 30 NHL clubs are focused on the upcoming NHL Draft and all the potential moves they could be making in the coming weeks.

With trade chatter picking up following last week’s NHL Draft Combine – and teams getting an unofficial gauge of the free agent market and whom they could realistically pursue come July 1 – things are starting to percolate ahead of the action at The Sphere.

The San Jose Sharks, still finalizing details on their next Head Coach, are also exploring ways of improving their roster for the 2024-25 campaign. As they navigate their rebuild, and with Macklin Celebrini expected to be selected first-overall, the Sharks want to take steps in the right direction next season.

One area Sharks GM Mike Grier wants to upgrade is his blueline, and pending unrestricted free agents like Sean Walker and Dylan DeMelo are expected to be targets.

And while San Jose plans on addressing their defensive corps, they are also willing to take calls on several players if they can maximize a return.

Stud blueliner Mario Ferraro has continued to attract interest from a number of teams dating back to mid-season.

Ferraro, 25, is under contract for to more seasons and comes with a $3.25 million salary cap hit. He is not looking to be traded and enjoys San Jose, but teams are calling, and my understanding is Grier is open to trading him. However, the price remains very high and it will take a significant return for Grier to part with Ferraro.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, Nashville Predators, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks are among the teams believed to have varying levels of interest in Ferraro, some going back to the middle of the season.

I am not sure what type of return the Sharks want for Ferraro, but if they go the package route, I would imagine a first-round draft pick is part of the ask, along with a top-ranked prospect and possibly another high asset. And given his attractive cap hit, it’s understandable why Grier would hold firm.

The Leafs had their eyes on Ferraro and Sharks forward Luke Kunin during the season and it’s entirely possible Toronto GM Brad Treliving circles back on both this off-season – but he may have to work fast.

Kunin, 26, is eligible to become a restricted free agent July 1 and has arbitration rights. Grier has spoken with his agent, Pete Rutili, multiple times and sources tell me the two met last week in Buffalo during the combine.

The Sharks and Kunin’s camp are working on an extension, but talks are still in the beginning stages. If the two sides work out a long-term deal, Grier will likely shy away from trade inquiries.

HERE AND THERE

• I reported two weeks ago the Calgary Flames are expected to pitch defenceman Oliver Kylington an offer. That hasn’t come across agent J.P. Barry’s desk yet, but they are being patient and expect to receive something soon.

• With so much going on in Vancouver lately, it is unclear which of their pending unrestricted free agents stick around. There is mutual interest from both sides to get a deal done with Tyler Myers, but as of last week, the two parties hadn’t exchanged numbers yet. Sam Lafferty is expected to hit the free agent market. The Canucks and Lafferty’s camp have spoken recently, and he hasn’t closed the door on Vancouver, but he seems interested in exploring his options at this moment.

• As I reported almost a month ago, if the Toronto Maple Leafs approach Mitch Marner about waiving his no-movement clause, he will consider his options. Nothing has changed, aside from a sneaking suspicion I have that the Leafs have an idea where he would consider moving to. Marner wants to stay in Toronto, but if the Leafs don’t want him, he’ll weigh things out.

• Nobody is shocked Eric Tulsky is becoming the fulltime GM in Carolina. He was the frontrunner, as I noted last week. There does sound to be a decent amount of unrest within the Hurricanes over what their management structure looks like once it all becomes official.

• The Hurricanes are also engaged in trade talks with select teams about Martin Necas. The expectation is he will be traded eventually, as is his preference.

• All eyes are on New Jersey and Calgary as they hammer away at a Jacob Markstrom trade. Other teams have poked around, and the Devils have weighed their options, but it seems like there is a pathway to a deal. They’re 0-1 so far, we’ll see if they can even things out.

• Top-ranked prospect Zeev Buium hasn’t committed to the University of Denver next season. Not yet, anyway. He was a guest on FaceOff LIVE, the official pregame show of the Stanley Cup Final on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio with me and Dennis Bernstein before Game 2 and said he will consider his options after the NHL Draft.

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