Sharks Don't Want to Give One Player a Long-Term Extension

The San Jose Sharks and Mario Ferraro are starting to look like a team and player heading toward a difficult decision. 

Ferraro has made it clear he wants to remain in San Jose, and there is still mutual interest in continuing the relationship, but the bigger issue is the term. 

The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta has said the Sharks are not interested in giving Ferraro the kind of long-term extension he is believed to be seeking.

Sharks only want a short-term Mario Ferraro extension

Ferraro is reportedly looking for a contract with real security, likely starting at four years or more, while San Jose has only shown interest in a shorter commitment. 

One report indicated the Sharks already put a two-year extension offer on the table, and Ferraro’s camp turned it down.

Mario Ferraro is beloved among the San Jose Sharks fanbase and the locker room, but a potential long-term contract is something that General Manager Mike Grier will have to struggle with heading into the trade deadline.#TheFutureIsTeal pic.twitter.com/TfkLYSbnB9

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) January 14, 2026

Ferraro, 27, is hitting unrestricted free agency for the first time and likely sees this as his best chance to cash in on a longer deal. The Sharks, meanwhile, seem willing to keep him, just not on terms that could weigh down their long-term plans.

Ferraro is in the final year of a four-year, $13M deal ($3.25M AAV), signed back in 2022.

Mario Ferraro’s value may outpace San Jose’s long-term vision

Ferraro is the longest-tenured player on the Sharks’ roster, an alternate captain, a heavy penalty-kill presence, and a defender who has regularly handled tough minutes through the franchise’s lean years. 

This season, he has posted 4 goals and 12 points in 50 games while averaging 20:50 of ice time, and his minus-2 rating is a major step up from some of the rougher seasons he endured on weaker Sharks teams. 

Across the last several years, Ferraro has been one of San Jose’s top minute-eaters, averaging over 22 minutes per game from 2020-21 through 2024-25, and that type of role tends to carry real value in free agency.

Mario Ferraro vs Dylan Holloway pic.twitter.com/zXQNuFqTPw

— JD Young (@MyFryHole) March 7, 2026

The problem for San Jose is that Ferraro may no longer fit the timeline the same way he once did. The Sharks have already added veterans like Dmitry Orlov, and they have left-side prospects and young defensemen such as Sam Dickinson and Shakir Mukhamadullin pushing for bigger roles. They also have Luca Cagnoni in the AHL, who looks deserving of a call-up.

That depth helps explain why the Sharks are hesitant to go long on a player who could reportedly command $5 million to $6 million per season on a deal of four years or more. 

Ferraro still matters to this team, both on the ice and in the room, but all signs point to San Jose drawing a line when it comes to term.

Photo Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images