Key Contributor: Ferraro Taking the Next Step
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Landon Ferraro may be the best Red Wings prospect no one is talking about. The 6-foot, 174 pound center is finally putting up the type of numbers the Red Wings expected after drafting him 32nd overall in the 2009 entry draft. Ferraro was Grand Rapids leading goal scorer this season with 24 goals and third on the team in points with 47. Despite his impressive statistics, he’s almost forgotten behind flashier forward prospects like Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Tatar and Tomas Jurco.
With his offensive numbers more than doubling his rookie season total of 9 goals and 20 points, Ferraro has taken the next step in his development . More importantly, he has remained healthy and been a key contributor in every situation for Grand Rapids. The 21 year-old has struggled with nagging injuries to his shoulder, groin and knee that have seen him miss significant time over the last three seasons. He also suffered a concussion last year that limited him to just 56 AHL games in his first professional season. Despite the injuries, Ferraro has spent the last two summers building his core strength in the hopes that the added muscle would make him more durable. His upswing in production and game played this season indicate that his hard work is finally paying dividends.
Even with his improved offense, Ferraro wasn’t one of the forwards called up to Detroit this season. A condensed schedule and an aging team have led to long stretches this season where the Wings have relied on unproven prospects calling up six different Griffins including Petr Mrazek, Tomas Tatar, Joakim Andersson, Brian Lashoff, Gustav Nyquist and Riley Sheahan. Ferraro probably deserved a call-up as a reward this season, but his play hasn’t gone unnoticed earning the praise of Red Wings management and Griffins coaching staff alike.
The Burnaby, British Columbia native is taking it all in stride and is focusing on a long Calder Cup playoff run with the Griffins. The swift skating Ferraro could put an exclamation point on a career year and cement his status as a call-up next year with a strong playoff run. With Detroit’s log jam of young forwards next season that includes Nyquist, Tatar, Andersson and Jarnkrok, Ferraro will likely spend another season in the AHL but he’s proven he’s ready to take the next step if Detroit calls.