2023 NHL Draft: Getting to know Eric Pohlkamp

“Stocky” with a “high-impact” shot and a willingness to play the body, Pohlkamp has some enticing skills to offer the Sharks.

Of all the picks from the Sharks this season, Eric Pohlkamp might be one of the more intriguing ones for San Jose. While other teams were snagging 18-year-olds with unrefined talent, San Jose used the 132nd pick in the fifth round of the draft to take Pohlkamp.

Pohlkamp wasn’t even at the draft that day. He was at the gym.

“I was on my way to the gym when my phone started blowing up. I didn’t even want to look at it,” Pohlkamp told the Bemidji Pioneer. “I was coaching (with the Lakes Area Hockey Academy), and I got off the ice around pick 100. That’s when the heart started pumping a little bit. I was on my way to the gym when my Cedar Rapids group chat started going off. Then a buddy texted me congratulations. I didn’t even get the call (from San Jose) until about three minutes after that.”

Perhaps the 19-year-old’s nonchalance is due to the fact that he’s done this dance before. In 2022, Pohlkamp went undrafted. The defenseman watched dozens of his peers find homes on NHL teams while not finding one of his own.

Instead of giving up, he pushed harder. In 2022-23, Pohlkamp finished another successful season with the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders of the U.S. Hockey League. He did so well that he earned USHL defenseman of the year honors.

Position: Defense
Age: 19
Date of Birth: March 23, 2004
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 205 lbs.
Shoots: Right
2022-23 Cedar Rapids Rough Riders (USHL): 59 games, 51 points (16 G, 35 A)
2022-23 Cedar Rapids Rough Riders (USHL) Playoffs: 5 games, 1 point (0 G, 1 A)

Much like the defenseman Axel Landen, who we previewed yesterday, Eric Pohlkamp is the kind of defenseman that isn’t afraid to play the body to knock an opponent off the puck. His offensive upside is yet to be seen. While he excelled in the USHL, he was slightly older and more developed than many of his opponents. It will be interesting to see what he does at the collegiate level where there are a lot of guys older than him.

What do the scouts say about Pohlkamp’s game?

As with most fifth rounders, there will major holes in Pohlkamp’s game that may prevent him from ever playing a game in the NHL. However, if there’s one asset, it’s his shot.

“Pohlkamp’s value comes in two forms: High-impact shots and even higher impact hits. His power beats goaltenders across the net, even from the point,” wrote Elite Prospects on Pohlkamp’s shot. “On the power play, he builds play before unwinding, drawing pressure towards himself, passing, then relocating for the one-timer. Tight gap on- and off-puck, poke checks timed just as the opponent exposes the puck, quiet footwork, and thunderous hits.”

An example of Pohlkamp’s shot can be seen in this video.

Jacob Kraft re-directs Eric Pohlkamp's blast from the blue line for his second goal of the night. Pohlkamp is a #2023NHLDraft overage player to watch. Dude has a bomb. @RidertownUSA #USHL pic.twitter.com/Lak1WlDFQS

— Ryan Sikes (@ryan_sikes10) December 29, 2022

Almost the instant that the puck is on Pohlkamp’s stick, he’s firing it on net. The shot is hard, fast and it finds its mark. Whether tipped or not, Pohlkamp has a hard shot that he has control over.

In this second video, you can see a similar play develop, with Pohlkamp again teeing up the puck from above the faceoff circle.

Eric Pohlkamp's 13th goal of the year ties the game at one!@RidertownUSA #USHL pic.twitter.com/BWyC7Mxpq0

— Ryan Sikes (@ryan_sikes10) February 5, 2023

Pohlkamp has a quick release and he’s not afraid to shoot. If he’s put on the ice with players willing to go to the tough areas, it’s easy to see him being able to succeed at a higher level.

When Donesh Mazloum of Dobber Prospects reviewed the Sharks’ draft, he also pointed to Pohlkamp’s shot in his analysis of the fifth round draft pick.

“Pohlkamp is an undersized yet stocky player who throws his weight around on the defensive end and plays with an in-your-face style that makes it tough to get throw the neutral zone cleanly,” said Mazloum. “Offensively, his best weapon is a heavy shot from the point that he loves to unleash. There are still some questions about his ability to translate and find a niche at the pro level, but he’s a worthwhile gamble this late in the draft.”

Corey Pronman of The Athletic made a similar analysis of Pohlkamp and questioned the 19-year-old’s “mobility” if he plays at the sport’s highest level.

“Pohlkamp is a very skilled defenseman with a big point shot who was the leading offensive defenseman in the USHL this season. He can make a lot happen inside the offensive zone,” wrote Pronman. “He skates fine, but for a smaller defenseman it’s not top-level mobility you’d like to see and whether he can defend as a pro is debatable. His fitness level is also a question.”

What’s next for Pohlkamp?

Instead of going to college, Pohlkamp spent last season in the USHL. Not only did his second season in the league help him develop into a more complete player, but it also caught the eye of college scouts.

Pohlkamp is committed to playing for Bemidji State University (BSU), a public college in Minnesota, in the fall. While BSU has put out NHL-caliber players in the past such as Zach Whitecloud of the Vegas Golden Knights, it’s not the NHL factory that other NCAA Division I teams are.

This is both good and bad for Pohlkamp. On the one hand, it means that he’ll receive plenty of playing time. That’s something he might not have received playing for a team like the University of Minnesota. However, it also means he won’t be competing against the best day in and day out.

Pohlkamp is the kind of player that will likely finish out his college career before he takes that step to play professional hockey with the San Jose Barracuda. That’s not a bad thing. A player’s development can occur in many forms. Expect to wait at least four years to see Pohlkamp playing professional hockey, if he makes it at all.