San Jose Sharks’ rookie defenseman Luca Cagnoni will play against New York Rangers Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Adam Fox for the first time on Saturday.
Cagnoni spent the 2024 summer analyzing the play of top NHL defensemen like Fox and Vancouver Canucks d-man Quinn Hughes.
Like Cagnoni, Fox is viewed as a smaller NHL defenseman at 5’11. While the Sharks defenseman is listed as two inches shorter, they have a similar play style.
“He’s probably one of the smartest players in the league. I watched him, especially [during] my draft year. I watched him a lot, him and Hughes,” Cagnoni said. “He’s a really talented player. He relies on his IQ a lot, but he still makes plays. He knows how to play in this league, and he definitely trusts the plays that he makes.”
Fox dealt with an injury in the middle of the season, but the Rangers’ No. 1 blue liner still has 54 points in 65 games.
Despite an ice-cold power play for New York, Cagnoni knows he should take notes and apply them to how he runs the Sharks’ top unit.
“We’re just trying to build some chemistry here. It’s obviously not too much hockey left in the season,” Cagnoni said. “Hopefully, for next year, [we] have a good group of guys here, and we can keep building that chemistry up.”
Cagnoni gets a new defense partner
Vincent Desharnais will be out for the next two games, according to San Jose Sharks head coach, Ryan Warsofsky. Desharnais is dealing with an upper-body injury, and the Sharks have recalled Jimmy Schuldt.
Schuldt will pair with Cagnoni on Satruday. The two have been paired with the San Jose Barracuda for most of the season.
“He and I have played the last two and a half months together. [I’m] pretty comfortable with him,” Cagnoni said. ” know how he plays, and he knows how I play, so it should be pretty fun.”
Schuldt gave Cagnoni a great message when he was sent down for Cagnoni.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic took part in an optional morning skate on Thursday and could play against the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.
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