The San Jose Sharks selected defenseman Luca Cagnoni from the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL with at No. 123. The Sharks acquired this pick from the Seattle Kraken when they traded defenseman Jaycob Megna on February 5th.
Cagnoni scored 17 goals and 64 points in 67 games for the Winterhawks. The 5-foot-10, 172-pound blueliner also chipped in 7 points in 9 playoff games as well. Cagnoni is known for being a calming and patient presence on the blueline and oozes skill.
Per the Elite Prospects NHL Draft Guide:
“Coupling dynamic edge work with proactive activation, Cagnoni dissects the forecheck. He shifts one way, explodes in the opposite, hits the open teammate, then flies up the rink to become a lead pass option. Every one of his puck touches builds off the previous, creating further time and space up the rink.
“In the offensive zone, Cagnoni controls the game. He’s a volume shooter but rarely takes a poor one. He starts – and finishes – passing plays and fakes shots to set up teammates around the slot. Lateral movement pulls defenders to the perimeter, creating space to attack the inside and vice-versa.”
He was 34th in EP’s rankings and 78th in Bob McKenzie’s Final rankings.
Cagnoni should return to the powerhouse Winterhawks next season.
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