I really like Cagnoni’s game. I think I underrated him a bit in the beginning of the season but I think he’s a really good defenseman that has risen a lot in my rankings. He is one of the best puck-moving defensemen in the draft in my opinion if not the best.
His hockey IQ, his skating, and his skill make Cagnoni such a good puck mover. Cagnoni is a really smart hockey player. He knows when to pinch and he knows when to sit back a bit. There is a maturity in his game that I think is underrated. He makes some phenomenal passes when he’s on the ice and has great vision in the offensive zone. He is a great playmaker and is a serious threat whenever he pinches into the offensive zone. The most notable aspects of his game has to be his ability to go tape-to-tape and initiate zone-entries. He plays like a prototypical modern day defenseman. His skating is really smooth and he has nice lateral movement. He doesn’t have game-breaking speed but he’s solid in that area.
Cagnoni can get out of position at times which is going to happen to a defenseman that pinches into the offensive-zone. Usually, the risk is worth it because he’s able to create solid scoring chances. He is not really a shooter either. His shot is definitely not a definitive aspect to his game. I think Cagnoni will be able to keep up with the pace of the pro game eventually. But, he is undersized and will probably need to be paired with a more defensive-minded defenseman for him to have the most success.
I don’t see him as a potential #1 D. But, Cagnoni could be a guy you have in your top 4 that is able to get pucks up ice and QB a 2nd PP which is still a valuable asset. There is always risk associated with drafting undersized defenseman, but he is going to get bigger and stronger at 5’10”. I think Cagnoni is definitely a 1st round pick.