Sheng Peng
NASHVILLE — The San Jose Sharks have recalled Luca Cagnoni.
Cagnoni is the San Jose Barracuda’s top-scoring defenseman with eight goals and 43 points in just 67 games this season.
Last year, the 21-year-old left-hander was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team, potting 16 goals and 52 points in 64 games. The 2023 fourth-round pick also made his San Jose Sharks debut, notching two assists in six contests.
We’ll see if Cagnoni can provide a jolt to a Sharks squad (and power play) that has pretty much fallen out of the Western Conference playoff race.
Chances are, Cagnoni will suit up for the San Jose Sharks at the Nashville Predators on Monday.
Three NHL scouts, none with the Sharks, shared their thoughts about Cagnoni’s season and future as an NHL’er.
The biggest knock on Cagnoni is obviously his size, listed at 5-foot-9.
“Not ready,” Scout #1 said, “defending still an issue.”
How can Cagnoni get better defensively?
“Needs to get under his man and win pucks,” Scout #2 said.
“Strength,” Scout #3 said, “learn to take good angles and have a really good stick.”
“He has shown effort and compete in his defensive game,” Scout #2 added, “but will likely always have limitations.”
Cagnoni is just 21, so improvement can still happen, but it doesn’t appear to have happened quite yet.
“He could help on the power play,” Scout #3 said, “but will always have a problem defending at the NHL level.”
Scout #2 agreed: “He’s not likely to be a good defender at the NHL level but has to be at least playable.”
That’s where Cagnoni’s bread-and-butter, his offense, must emerge in the best league in the world. Simply, will the trade-off for offense be worth it?
“Will give some back,” Scout #2 said, “but will need to outgenerate and outproduce what he gives up.”
It’s telling that the San Jose Sharks, struggling all season on the power play, waited until basically the end of their playoff hopes to give Cagnoni a look this year, suggesting they didn’t think the trade-off was worth it, yet.
But at this point? And with how the San Jose Sharks power play, quarterbacked mostly by Dmitry Orlov and John Klingberg this season, has fared?
“Wouldn’t hurt to give him a look,” Scout #2 said.
Hopefully, this end-of-season trial will be a runway for Cagnoni next year.