From the team press release:
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed forward Benn Ferriero to a one-year contract, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.
Ferriero’s contract is a two-way deal worth $700,000 at the NHL level.
Ferriero, 25, has spent parts of the last three seasons playing for the San Jose Sharks, including 35 games in 2011-12, when he tallied seven goals and eight points. Ferriero also appeared in 20 games last year with Worcester, the Sharks’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. Ferriero amassed 20 points (9G-11A) in 20 games with Worcester.
A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Ferriero played in 92 career NHL regular-season games with San Jose, totaling 14 goals, eight assists and 22 points. Ferriero, who stands 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, also played in eight NHL playoff games – with his lone point the overtime game-winning goal in Game 1 of the 2011 Western Conference semifinals against Detroit.
And, from Pensburgh commenter (and California resident) Doc Nagel:
Benn Ferriero (SJS). He was a bubble player with the Sharks last year, which means he played on all four lines. (The Sharks were really weird last season.) I've seen him score opportune goals, though.
It'll be interesting to see how it shakes out. The Penguins already have a lot of 4th line depth with Joe Vitale, Craig Adams and Tanner Glass pencilled in as the current 4th line and Dustin Jeffrey and Eric Tangradi in sort of a no man's land.
But there will be injuries and depth is always needed. Also, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton needed to replace their top 5 scorers from last season, with the top returning scorer being defenseman Alex Grant.
No for Pittsburgh Ferriero is a no risk, low-to-medium reward signing. He's a guy with some NHL experience, can bring energy and slot in almost anywhere on the lineup (though the chance of him seeing significant time on a NHL scoring line here seems very remote).
And if nothing else, Ferriero will be yet another face in training camp who played collegiately at Boston College. The Pens have Brooks Orpik, Carl Sneep, Philip Samuelsson, Brian Gibbons and Brian Dumolin as former Eagles. Poor Brian Strait had better have his head on a swivel asthe only current Pen who played for the rival Boston University.