Grier: Will Sharks Keep Halttunen, Cagnoni With Cuda?

Will Kasper Halttunen and Luca Cagnoni be part of the San Jose Barracuda’s playoff push this year?

“I think it’s important for them to have success down there,” San Jose Sharks GM Mike Grier said about his AHL affiliate on Monday. “The goal is for them to be in the playoffs.”

Both 2023 second-rounder Halttunen and 2023 fourth-rounder Cagnoni are eligible to be returned to their OHL teams.

Grier seemed more confident about Cagnoni being around for the Cuda playoff push than Halttunen, though he hasn’t finalized a decision on either. He has until the Trade Deadline in both prospects’ respective CHL leagues, the OHL’s London Knights for Halttunen and the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks for Cagnoni, to decide. The Trade Deadline for both leagues is roughly early January.

One of the San Jose Sharks’ fastest-rising prospects, Cagnoni’s offensive talents have transitioned very well from the Western Hockey League to the AHL. The strongest performance of the season so far for the 19-year-old was on Sunday when he had a multi-point night against the Iowa Wild. He already has two goals in just four appearances.

As a defenseman who is often touted for his offensive ability, specifically on the power play, it’s not surprising that he is the Barracuda’s highest-scoring defenseman to start the season with four points in four games. 

Grier had nothing but praise for Cagnoni on Monday. “I think Cags has been really good. I think all through training camp, he was one of our best D up here for us, and he’s continued his strong play down there. So it’s been a good start. I think he’s in a good spot.”

Halttunen got off to a hot start with the Barracuda, scoring twice in his debut against the Ontario Reign. In the following three games, however, he recorded only a single assist. 

Grier seemed less committed to keeping Halttunen in the AHL than he was with Cagnoni: “I think Tuna is a little bit different. I think it’s good for him, he’s getting a taste of playing against men and playing pro hockey.”

Regardless of how the San Jose Sharks proceed with Halttunen, Grier doesn’t think there’s a wrong answer. 

“We’ve just got to make a decision here, as a development group and as an organization. If it’s better for him to be up here and have to really work for it, or get more puck touches with a really good London team and have the puck and produce offensively. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer, and it’s not an easy answer, but something we’re going through probably a little bit more with him than with Luca.” 

Grier was careful not to set too strict of a deadline on making the decision but said he’d prefer to get it done sooner rather than later for Halttunen’s sake and to be fair to London.