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No. 20 Eric Pohlkamp: Impressive step forward

Eric Pohlkamp was in his second draft-eligible year when he was selected by the San Jose Sharks at 132nd overall in the 2023 draft. Now, at 20 years old, Pohlkamp has made the most of his first season post-draft. The defenseman helped hold down the blueline for Bemidji State and finished the season with 24 points (11 G, 13 A) in 32 games.

In the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) playoffs, Pohlkamp finished the first two rounds with three goals and five points. His work with the Beavers earned him CCHA’s Defenseman of the Week honors three times during the 2023-24 season. He was also named to the All-CCHA First Team and Rookie Team selections.

Position: Defenseman
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 201 lbs.
Age: 20
Date of Birth: March 23, 2004
Draft Year: 2023 (132nd overall by San Jose Sharks)
Shoots: Right
2024-25 Team: Denver University

Pohlkamp’s solid season at Bemidji State earned him a slot on a stacked Team USA at the World Junior Championship in the winter. It also caught the attention of some of the top college programs in the country. In the spring, after Bemidji State was eliminated from contention for the college hockey playoffs, Pohlkamp announced that he was transferring to Colorado to play for the defending champions, the University of Denver.

What we like

Let’s start things off with his perseverance. This is a kid who wasn’t discouraged by going undrafted in his first season out. He worked hard and caught the attention of the Sharks in year two.

But getting drafted wasn’t enough. Instead, Pohlkamp continued to work hard and earned the notice of the WJC Team USA coaches. One of those coaches happened to be David Carle, the head coach of the University of Denver Men’s Ice Hockey team.

If Pohlkamp continues to play with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove, it will be fun to see how his game continues to progress.

That chip also shows up in his play. When the U.S. WJC team was selected, Chris Peters of FloHockey called Pohlkamp an “abrasive, physical player.”

Pohlkamp has a powerful shot from the point that could be a huge asset to the Sharks in the future. His peak is tough to determine, considering he’s already surprised us this season.

Areas of improvement & what’s next

When it comes to Pohlkamp, this category and what’s next are one in the same.

For Pohlkamp, it’s not so much what he can improve but if he can continue to elevate his game.

At Bemidji, Pohlkamp was the only drafted player on the roster. At the University of Denver, there will be a different challenge. Several of the players on the blueline are in the NHL pipeline. The most prominent of them is Zeev Buium, who was taken 12th overall in the most recent NHL draft. That’s a lot more competition for ice time.

Pohlkamp will likely play limited minutes for the University of Denver, much fewer than the ones that he earned with Bemidji, but what he’s likely to learn from one of NCAA hockey’s most revered hockey minds in Carle as well as alongside a higher level of talent could be invaluable to his development as a potential future professional player.

Highlights

Pohlkamp is not afraid to activate to score a goal. In the 2024 CCHA playoffs, he comes off the bench and scores the game-winner in overtime. He’s the guy sneaking into the front of the net to pick up the rebound. It was Pohlkamp’s first college playoff goal.

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