How have some of the San Jose Sharks’ top defensive prospects improved over the summer?

Sam Dickinson and Luca Cagnoni are both returning to the Rookie Faceoff this weekend, while Haoxi (Simon) Wang is headed to his first tourney, kicking off the start of a competitive training camp for the San Jose Sharks.

Sam Dickinson

Sam Dickinson attended the World Junior Summer Showcase with Team Canada in late July and early August. Since then, he’s been focused on breaking camp with the San Jose Sharks, with as much ice and gym time as possible.

“You go from playing 18, 19-year-olds, to grown men who are sometimes 30, older than that. So for me, it was just getting a lot of time in the gym focusing on getting bigger and stronger,” Dickinson said. “That was big for me, just understanding that I need to get stronger to be able to compete with a lot of these guys.”

Dickinson says a focus this summer was getting stronger so he can battle with NHL’ers. Says he added five pounds of muscle, up to 215 lbs right now

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) September 10, 2025

In Toronto for the summer, the San Jose Sharks’ 2024 No. 11 pick said he worked out with established NHL’ers like Sean Monahan, Nazem Kadri, and Will Cuylle.

At the Rookie Faceoff, he’s hoping to build up his confidence for main camp.

“I don’t want to go into training camp being a little timid or anything like that with the puck. I want to go out there and make plays, build some confidence going into next week,” Dickinson said. “It’s the final opportunity to get ready for training camp, that’s the last two opportunities in those games. So take everything I can and get prepared.”

Sam Dickinson doing a drill with his Rookie Faceoff cohorts pic.twitter.com/ax4gJARwk7

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) September 10, 2025

Luca Cagnoni

Now that he’s got one year of professional hockey under his belt, Cagnoni said he’s more comfortable – while still having a lot to prove.

The San Jose Sharks’ 2023 fourth-round pick opened eyes with his AHL All-Rookie Team turn, and is looking to take that next step to bona fide NHL’er.

Cagnoni wants to be peskier in front of net, something he worked on last year with the San Jose Barracuda and over the summer.

“Obviously you have to be a little stronger, but a little more cross checks, get out of the crease and stuff,” the 5-foot-9 defender said. “I’m not the biggest guy, so I have to pretend that I’m going to be bigger than you.”

Up in Vancouver, Cagnoni worked out with Macklin Celebrini and his brother, Aidan, among others like Connor Bedard.

“In the summer, obviously, he’s (Celebrini) super-skilled, and I get to witness it right in front of my face and sometimes on me,” Cagnoni laughed. “It’s definitely cool. I think he’s going to have a great year and build off what he did last year.”

Haoxi (Simon) Wang

Haoxi (Simon) Wong is a project, so he’s not thinking about the NHL just yet.

The 6-foot-6 Wang, 18, thinks he might have grown a little taller since the San Jose Sharks picked him in the second round of the 2025 Draft. But more so, he said he’s put on more strength ahead of his first full season with the OHL’s Oshawa Generals.

“Just stronger and faster. That’s my off-ice goal during the summer. I think I did a good job at that, and I’m just really excited to head into the season,” Wang said. “The weight stayed around the same, maybe a pound heavier, but the fat definitely went down three or four pounds, so I would say three pounds of muscle or something like that. But pretty proud of the progress.”

Wang says he weighs in at about 225 pounds and 10 percent body fat.

Over the summer, he played a little in China, supporting the growth of hockey there – something he’s very proud to see.

“It was non-national team, more like a city tournament, playing, enjoying, and telling my experience to the younger guys and showing the ropes, which is really exciting for them,” Wang said. “I was in Beijing for two weeks, specifically just helping little kids go on the ice. I did a couple volunteer practices and just helped them out a little bit and make sure they get some love and played the tournament back home, just competed with my friends.”

Wang, the highest-drafted Chinese native in NHL history, has become something of a celebrity in his homeland.

i’m sorry this one outfit has me ctfu pic.twitter.com/7HZg4Ojr2l

— lena 🍊 (@MCL_71) August 15, 2025

“It’s definitely great attention,” Wang laughed. “But at the end of the day, I’m still a hockey player, and that’s what I want to be, so I’m trying to block out the noise during the season and just trying to focus on myself. But during the off-season, I won’t deny [that] other attention. Makes my life a little bit exciting.”

Wang says his mind was blown running into Carey Price in the hotel yesterday.

Had to introduce himself: “I shook his hand, and I was like, I’m not gonna wash it tonight, for sure.”

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) September 10, 2025

Fun fact: 5-foot-9 Cagnoni’s Rookie Faceoff roommate is 6-foot-6 Wang.