The San Jose Sharks prospect has taken his game to another level to start the 2023-24 season.
Luca Cagnoni continues to show why he is a special talent. The San Jose Sharks prospect sits second in WHL scoring by defencemen with 25 points in 15 games and has helped the Portland Winterhawks develop into one of, if not the best team in the CHL. Listed at 5'9", 180 pounds, he is proving that you can still be a successful defenceman even if you aren't the biggest guy on the ice.
With a 12-4-0-1 record to start the season, Portland is showing why they should be considered Memorial Cup favourites. From stellar defensive play to an offence averaging over five goals a game, they have looked unstoppable at times. As Cagnoni explains, the entire team is buying in, which is the reason behind their hot start.
"Yeah, we got a great group of guys," said Cagnoni. A lot of veterans on this team have playoff experience and a lot of games in this league. I think we're kind of just clicking right now, and then, hopefully, we can maintain it throughout the whole year. Guys are playing with a chip on their shoulder after last year. I think we're here to prove a point of how good we really are this year."
As mentioned, a big part of the Winterhawks' success has been the play of Cagnoni. While most will look at his offensive impact on the team, it is his work in the defensive zone that shows just how strong of a player he is. This should please the Sharks organization as he describes; it was one of the areas San Jose wanted him to work on this year.
"Just keep on little getting stronger. Maybe growing an inch or two, stuff like that. I think they're pretty happy where I am offensively; just keep on working on my defensive side."
Overall, Cagnoni's experience at Sharks training camp was positive. Not only did he get his first taste of the NHL, but he was able to witness the high-end skill and work ethic needed to make the jump to the pro game.
"It's great to see how good players really are there. It's kind of different watching them on TV and then going up against them. You got to play more defence there. There were a lot of good takeaways."
As Cagnoni continues his development journey, he will do so with arguably the greatest defenceman in NHL history by his side, Bobby Orr. According to the ORR player agency website, he is just one of two active WHLers the Hockey Hall of Famer currently represents. While he has only had phone calls, the Winterhawks defenceman understands just how valuable having one of the greatest players in hockey history as his agent.
"Yeah, I mean, he changed the way of defenseman. I just try to be as good as him one day."
While Cagnoni still has a way to go before he makes the NHL, his play this season could be a sign of things to come. He is a player who always looks for ways to improve and won't let hurdles get in his way. If he continues this development trajectory, NHL teams will be kicking themselves in a few seasons, wondering how they let him fall to the fourth round.