Prospect Info: 2024 prospect tournament in LA

[Patty Ice]

It's a tough call; I can see the merits of either decision. Training camp will probably be pretty telling for management in terms of what will be better for Cagnoni, and at this point, honestly, I feel good enough about the way they've been operating with the team's young talent that I'll feel comfortable with whatever decision they make.

Even though Cagnoni is still young, the things he needs to most learn (and learn to deal with) are likely to come once playing against men. If they deem him to be strong enough (both physically and emotionally) to deal with that for a full season, then why not go for it? And the numbers can work themselves out; a number of those guys aren't potentially-meaningful prospects in the way Cagnoni is.

Exactly. He has already dominated juniors, just like people's gripe with Musty having to return to Sudbury, so why have him go back to do more of the same? Sure he'll get more ice time but he needs to get use to bigger and stronger opponents so he can adjust accordingly. San Jose will have more resources to continue to develop him to his full potential. Going back to juniors will just delay that.

 

[Sharksfan66]

Cagnoni should definitely go back to junior. There’s no room for him on the Barracuda. Which of Mukhamadullin, Thompson, Carlsson, Schuldt, Laroque, Pulli or Guryev does he deserve to play over? Even Hache and Frisch are probably better defensemen right now than Cagnoni. I haven’t even mentioned Furlong.

Cagnoni has the 3rd best offensive skills on that list, maybe higher. He's also one of the few guys on that list with actual NHL potential above replacement level. IMO you make room for a guy like Cagnoni and figure out the rest later.

I'd like to see them try:

Muk ➔ NHL
Carlsson - Thompson
Schuldt - Laroque
Hache - Cagnoni
Pulli
Guryev, Friche, & Furlong ➔ ECHL

With Cagnoni running PP1.

 

[Jargon]

If he beats out one of those guys and Mukhamadullin is on the NHL roster then Cagnoni would still be a bottom pairing defenseman without a path to PP time unless Carlsson or Thompson gets hurt. Even that is assuming Furlong gets sent back to the Q for his overage year and Cagnoni is able to earn a spot ahead of Hache, Frisch and other guys on AHL contracts. Wouldn't he be much better off as Portland's undisputed #1 D? He's only 19.

I could go either way, honestly. My feeling is that he’s good enough to be in the AHL and that he will eventually take Thompson’s spot on the PP. I just want to see him get used to playing against big guys at a higher level.

But I think he has to be fantastic at camp and clearly make a case to stay. If he’s struggling at all, then absolutely send him back.

 

[Hodge]

Exactly. He has already dominated juniors, just like people's gripe with Musty having to return to Sudbury, so why have him go back to do more of the same? Sure he'll get more ice time but he needs to get use to bigger and stronger opponents so he can adjust accordingly. San Jose will have more resources to continue to develop him to his full potential. Going back to juniors will just delay that.

How do you propose John McCarthy finds minutes for Thompson, Laroque and Furlong - all of whom are ahead of Cagnoni in their development - plus Cagnoni while also deploying Schuldt and Carlsson as top pair defensemen because he's trying to win games? There's not enough ice time to go around.

 

[Hodge]

Cagnoni has the 3rd best offensive skills on that list, maybe higher. He's also one of the few guys on that list with actual NHL potential above replacement level. IMO you make room for a guy like Cagnoni and figure out the rest later.

I'd like to see them try:

Muk ➔ NHL
Carlsson - Thompson
Schuldt - Laroque
Hache - Cagnoni
Pulli
Guryev, Friche, & Furlong ➔ ECHL

With Cagnoni running PP1.

Unless the Sharks carry eight defensemen, Mukhamadullin in the NHL means Thrun in the AHL.

I also think Furlong would be sent back to the Q for his overage year before they consider assigning him to the ECHL.

If the likes of Mateychuk and Zellweger can go back to the WHL for their D+2 season I'm pretty sure it's not going to kill Cagnoni to do the same.

 

[Jargon]

How do you propose John McCarthy finds minutes for Thompson, Laroque and Furlong - all of whom are ahead of Cagnoni in their development - plus Cagnoni while also deploying Schuldt and Carlsson as top pair defensemen because he's trying to win games? There's not enough ice time to go around.

I’ll be honest I don’t think I realized just how many defensemen we have on the Cuda this year.

I still think their whole M.O. has been competition. if Cagnoni comes in and looks better than Thompson, Laroque, Furlong, etc., then you keep him, it’s as simple as that.

 

[Sharksfan66]

Unless the Sharks carry eight defensemen, Mukhamadullin in the NHL means Thrun in the AHL.

I also think Furlong would be sent back to the Q for his overage year before they consider assigning him to the ECHL.

If the likes of Mateychuk and Zellweger can go back to the WHL for their D+2 season I'm pretty sure it's not going to kill Cagnoni to do the same.

I guess we're just looking at this differently. I see Cagnoni as a potential future difference maker on this team. And since I don't think any of Vlasic, Rutta, Guryev, Furlong, etc. are future difference makers, I'm willing to do what you have to with the rest to make room for him.

If that means carrying 8 D at the NHL level so Vlasic and Rutta sit more nights than not and sending Furlong back to the Q, so be it.

IMO we should be bending to make room for Cagnoni, not the other way around.

 

[Patty Ice]

How do you propose John McCarthy finds minutes for Thompson, Laroque and Furlong - all of whom are ahead of Cagnoni in their development - plus Cagnoni while also deploying Schuldt and Carlsson as top pair defensemen because he's trying to win games? There's not enough ice time to go around.

Cagnoni has more NHL viability than any of those guys so I would hope he would have priority. AHL wins are a nice bonus but I want development foremost from my farm team. There is also Wichita for some of these guys if you are concerned about icetime for development.

 

[Barrie22]

The barracuda isn't there to win championships, they are first and foremost there to feed the NHL with developed players.

 

[Sharksfan66]

How do you propose John McCarthy finds minutes for Thompson, Laroque and Furlong - all of whom are ahead of Cagnoni in their development - plus Cagnoni while also deploying Schuldt and Carlsson as top pair defensemen because he's trying to win games? There's not enough ice time to go around.

I think something like this would roughly accomplish just that (minus Furlong, who I don't think has warranted any special consideration):

Carlsson - Thompson
Schuldt - Laroque
Hache - Cagnoni
Pulli

Not sure if those exact pairings would mesh, but if McCarthy did something like this, he'd have plenty of minutes for Thompson, Laroque, Carlsson and Schuldt, while also easing Cagnoni into the physicality of the pro game against men on the bottom pairing.

Cagnoni runs PP1. Carlsson runs PP2.

Easy peasy.

 

[Alaskanice]

I know it’s just one game but I’m liking that Celebrini and Smith are two that were hitching the wagons to. There’s something special that they both bring.

 

[Jargon]

I think something like this would roughly accomplish just that (minus Furlong, who I don't think has warranted any special consideration):

Carlsson - Thompson
Schuldt - Laroque
Hache - Cagnoni
Pulli

Not sure if those exact pairings would mesh, but if McCarthy did something like this, he'd have plenty of minutes for Thompson, Laroque, Carlsson and Schuldt, while also easing Cagnoni into the physicality of the pro game against men on the bottom pairing.

Cagnoni runs PP1. Carlsson runs PP2.

Easy peasy.

We also had so many injuries to our D in the last two years, there will undoubtedly be opportunities to move up the lineup.

 

[Sharksfan66]

So...I'm seeing clips of other prospect games this morning and starting to wondering if anyone else has noticed a sharp quality difference.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1834762229985448274

https://x.com/i/web/status/1834739514083885109

How is it that teams from Silicon Valley and Hollywood are behind the rest of the league in camera work and production??

 

[Jargon]

So...I'm seeing clips of other prospect games this morning and starting to wondering if anyone else has noticed a sharp quality difference.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1834762229985448274

https://x.com/i/web/status/1834739514083885109

How is it that teams from Silicon Valley and Hollywood are behind the rest of the league in camera work and production??

I literally work for a production company that creates content for a variety of brands, studios and even a huge sport’s team, and I reached out to the Sharks and their team was like… why?

I’m gonna try to hit them up again because it’s just insane.

 

[one2gamble]

I literally work for a production company that creates content for a variety of brands, studios and even a huge sport’s team, and I reached out to the Sharks and their team was like… why?

I’m gonna try to hit them up again because it’s just insane.

They don't understand that it creates hype and revenue in other areas. They literally have no concept of marketing and never have

 

[Barrie22]

They don't understand that it creates hype and revenue in other areas. They literally have no concept of marketing and never have

It is almost like they still have the small market mindset with no hardcore followers. Nobody really cares about these development showcases here so why spend money on it. But they fail to realize that in the past 20 years of continued success has changed the fan base drastically

 

[Alaskanice]

The cold, hard and sad reality is that professional hockey doesn’t register very high here. Even if we had won the Stanley Cup, it wouldn’t change much. In the bay area, this is a niche sport.

 

[Barrie22]

The cold, hard and sad reality is that professional hockey doesn’t register very high here. Even if we had won the Stanley Cup, it wouldn’t change much. In the bay area, this is a niche sport.

That may be true, but it does have a strong hardcore base that makes these events actually wanted to be seen by the fans base, especially when the team is stock full of high end prospects.

 

[Boy Hedican]

where does one find these streams - every year they say that 'video will be streamed from our website' - I go to the website and click on absolutely everything and can't ever find it.

Is the stream still up? Where?

and in the future, where do you find a link?

They had it on the home page just a few minutes before game time. Really horrible comms tbh. It should have been there for days before so fans aren’t disoriented closer to game time like I was.

 

[Saskatoon]

Cagnoni has more NHL viability than any of those guys so I would hope he would have priority. AHL wins are a nice bonus but I want development foremost from my farm team. There is also Wichita for some of these guys if you are concerned about icetime for development.

Cagnoni has more of boom bust potential

If I was putting money on it I would bet Furlong plays more NHL games. He won't be a star but he has bottom pairing potential.

If Cagnoni makes it will be in an offense role. But he won't make it as a bottom pairing guy.

 

[Alaskanice]

That may be true, but it does have a strong hardcore base that makes these events actually wanted to be seen by the fans base, especially when the team is stock full of high end prospects.

But it’s a limited strong base. We don’t compare to Detroit or Chicago. Most fans that love the sharks, probably don’t even know about the prospect games.
I get what you’re after, I won’t pay money to watch another professional sport as I do for hockey but I don’t know many like me.

 

[Hodge]

Cagnoni has more NHL viability than any of those guys so I would hope he would have priority. AHL wins are a nice bonus but I want development foremost from my farm team. There is also Wichita for some of these guys if you are concerned about icetime for development.

Cagnoni and NHL viability don't belong in the same sentence. How many 5'9" defensemen are having success in the NHL these days?

If Cagnoni ever makes it he will need to beat overwhelming odds due to his size. There's absolutely no reason to rush this sort of player.

 

[Patty Ice]

Cagnoni and NHL viability don't belong in the same sentence.

Correct me if I'm wrong but you are saying Cagnoni has 0% chance of a NHL career with this statement?

How many 5'9" defensemen are having success in the NHL these days?

Plenty of 5'10 and 5'11 with similar builds unless that whole inch is monumental in your eyes. Zellweger, who you previously mentioned, had a successful season last year and they are comparable talents.

 

[Hodge]

Correct me if I'm wrong but you are saying Cagnoni has 0% chance of a NHL career with this statement?

No but it's very low. Probably much lower than Thompson, Laroque and Furlong who are bigger and seem to have some NHL tools. I would rather use the finite ice time available on the Cuda blueline to develop those guys, who are also all older and further along, than rush Cagnoni to pro hockey when he still has 2 years of junior eligibility left.

 

[Patty Ice]

No but it's very low. Probably much lower than Thompson, Laroque and Furlong who are bigger and seem to have some NHL tools. I would rather use the finite ice time available on the Cuda blueline to develop those guys, who are also all older and further along, than rush Cagnoni to pro hockey when he still has 2 years of junior eligibility left.

Fair enough to how you value the others in comparison but I think it is in both Cagnoni's and the organization's interest to get him acclimated to pro size sooner rather than later and see if they have something with him. There is nothing left for him to conquer in the WHL. It will only stall his development.