The San Jose Sharks have had a multitude of players wear the number 42 throughout their history, but it currently belongs to Luca Cagnoni who has a major battle ahead of him this coming fall.
Cagnoni is one of the few members of the San Jose Barracuda expected to put up a fight for a roster spot when training camp comes around next month. The Sharks’ fourth-round selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, Cagnoni likely fell down the board due to his size, as he’s just 5-foot-9.
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Cagnoni’s game has always been defined by his ability to move the puck and put up points from the blue line, whether it was with the Western Hockey League’s Portland Winterhawks, the Barracuda, or even during his short stints with the Sharks. If he does make the Sharks roster, he’d almost immediately become a favorite to get some opportunities to quarterback the power play, but he’d likely not be more than a third-pairing defenseman in five-on-five play.
To this point in his professional career, Cagnoni has played 131 games for the Barracuda and recorded 95 points (24 goals and 71 assists). Meanwhile, during his nine NHL games, he’s failed to score a goal but has picked up a pair of assists.
At just 21 years of age, Cagnoni’s hockey career is still in its infancy. He has plenty of time to carve out a role for himself and establish himself as an NHL regular, now we’ll just have to wait and see if this is the year he grabs the brass ring and forces his way into Mike Grier and Ryan Warsofsky’s immediate plans.
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