Ferraro Believes: ‘We’re going to go & win a hockey game’ in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY — Mario Ferraro has seen a lot of losing.

But through it all, he’s kept a winning attitude.

“We’re going to get our first win in Utah,” Ferraro declared on Saturday night, after the San Jose Sharks got pasted 7-3 by the Vegas Golden Knights.

This appeared to be no small “guarantee”: The Sharks are 0-7-2, and they’re the first team in NHL history to start back-to-back seasons with nine-straight losses.

Did Ferraro really mean to guarantee victory?

“What did you want me to say, that we’re gonna go in and lose? No, we’re going in winning. I believe in that. That’s what we’re gonna to do tomorrow,” Ferraro said defiantly on Sunday, on the eve of the San Jose Sharks’ first-ever game against Utah Hockey Club. “Maybe you don’t believe it. Maybe people watching don’t believe it, and that’s fine. We don’t care about that.”

The alternate captain doubled down: “We don’t care what the outside world is thinking. We know what they’re thinking. We’re going to go and win a hockey game tomorrow.”

San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky loved Ferraro’s attitude: “We need to believe that we can win before we actually win. We need some belief in there that we can get the job done. I think that’s a good mindset to have. I don’t think it’s bulletin board material. It’s we got to take care of ourselves.”

So maybe it’s more belief than guarantee.

But does the rest of the team believe like Ferraro? Credit to the irrepressible defenseman, who’s been called the heartbeat of the team in past seasons, for putting himself out on the line with his comments.

Ferraro, 26, had the misfortune of debuting with the San Jose Sharks in 2019-20, when their prolonged window of contention was closing. In a different era, he could’ve easily been Brent Burns’s partner through Burns’s Norris Trophy-contending campaigns or an underappreciated stalwart like Justin Braun.

But instead, Ferraro was born a little too late: He and his Sharks have never seen the playoffs.

“The young man’s been through a lot in his NHL career. He’s lost a lot of hockey games, that takes a toll on you mentally. I don’t care what sport you play,” Warsofsky said. “He’s wearing a letter, and he’s trying to grow as a leader. He’s trying to grow as a player. He’s in a tough spot, so I feel for him. He shows up everyday with a smile on his face, and he’s working. He’s in great condition. He gives everything he got, he cares.”

There’s no doubt about that: Ferraro is a winner. He’s just never done it, at least in the NHL. Hopefully, he’ll get to do it with the San Jose Sharks, and soon.