In almost every other year of the UMass hockey program’s existence, defenseman Mario Ferraro would have been the big name incoming freshman, the headline recruit that everybody eagerly awaited seeing.

Instead, a hefty portion of fan attention has gone to fellow blue-liner Cale Makar, who is expected to be selected in the top 10 and possibly the top five in the NHL Draft, which is Friday and Saturday in Chicago.

But Ferraro was No. 78 on NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings of North American Skaters. That’s 15 slots ahead of where Brandon Montour was entering the 2014 draft.

Montour, who spent just one season in Amherst, played key minutes for the Anaheim Ducks during their run to the Western Conference finals in the NHL playoffs this spring.

“Cale is an exceptional situation. He’s probably going to be a top-five pick. So much attention gets focused on that, that a really good player like Mario, who has done some incredible things this year, gets overlooked,” UMass coach Greg Carvel said. “There’s a very good possibility that we may have the best two incoming freshman defensemen in the country. We’re very excited for both of them.”

Being drafted won’t affect Ferraro’s status at UMass. NHL Draft/NCAA Hockey rules allow a player to be drafted and still go to college. The selecting franchise retains a drafted player’s rights throughout his college career.

Like many Canadian kids, Ferraro daydreamed about someday being selected. He and his family will go from his King City, Ontario, home to Chicago to attend the draft.

“It’s definitely something that’s always been a goal of mine,” Ferraro said Tuesday. “I know I still have a lot of work to do beyond that point.”

Ferraro’s officially 5 feet 10¾ inches and 185 pounds. That’s a bit undersized for an NHL defenseman, but size is becoming less important as the league has increased emphasis on speed and skill.

Despite his size, Ferraro is not a finesse player.

“I’ve always been an undersized defenseman. I’ve had to rely on my speed, but I like to be physical even though I’m not the biggest defenseman,” said Ferraro, who models his game after Kings defenseman Drew Doughty. “The league is adjusting and I think the focus on transition and moving the puck up ice quickly works in my favor. I just play hard every night.”

His showed off some his strength, fitness and agility at the NHL’s draft combine. Of the 13 performance-based tests, Ferraro finished in the top 20 in 10 and in the top 10 in seven.

“Mario is a high, high-energy player. Mario is a high-energy competitor,” Carvel said. “Mario just doesn’t stop. He just goes. He has a great motor. His motor is always going.”

Ferraro was proud of that reputation.

“My motto was always to work harder than the guy next to me. Hard work has always been my brand, something I like to bring every night. That’s what I’m going to do next year at UMass.”

He’ll be in Amherst soon. He and the rest of UMass’ incoming crop of freshmen will arrive on campus for the second session of summer school early in July.

“I’m excited to get up there,” he said. “I’m excited to meet my new teammates, become friends with those guys and develop something great in the future. I’m excited to get started.”

He’ll be counted on to make an impact immediately. Ferraro had eight goals and 33 assists for the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL, numbers that made him his team’s No. 2 scorer and the league’s No. 2 scoring defenseman this past season.

“He’s a Canadian kid who went to the USHL, the premier junior league in the U.S.,” Carvel said. “He was all-rookie and all-first team in that league which is quite an accomplishment.”

Ferraro was looking forward to playing with Makar. Knowing they’d be teammates, Ferraro did what many UMass fans did and checked out Makar highlights online. The two met and bonded at the combine.

“It’s cool having a player like Cale Makar going to UMass,” Ferraro said. “I’ve watched his highlights a few times. He’s a special player and a good kid off the ice. I met him at the combine. He’s real positive heading to UMass. I’m excited to be a teammate of his. I think we’re going to have a great team. All the freshmen coming in are all great players. I think we’re going to have a promising future.”

Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage

]]>