The San Jose Sharks are still leaning hard into youth, and their latest move keeps that trend rolling. A few days after a wave of transactions brought top forward prospect Filip Bystedt to the NHL, San Jose announced it has recalled defenseman Eric Pohlkamp from the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda.
Pohlkamp, 22, was a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, going 132nd overall to the Sharks. San Jose also took forward Will Smith fourth overall in that same draft, a reminder of how much of this rebuild is built around the organization’s recent draft haul. But Pohlkamp’s path is the kind that can matter just as much if he keeps climbing.
He was still in the USHL with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders during his draft year, and the offense was already there. In 59 games, the Brainerd, MN, native put up 16 goals and 51 points while finishing with a -1 rating. From there, he moved on to Bemidji State University for the 2023-24 season and made an immediate impact.
Pohlkamp produced 11 goals and 24 points in 32 games, added a +4 rating, and helped lead the Beavers to the CCHA Conference Championship against Michigan Tech. His freshman year earned him spots on the All-CCHA Rookie Team and All-CCHA First Team, and that breakout season pushed him into a new opportunity at the University of Denver.
The move paid off in a big way. Over two seasons with the Pioneers, Pohlkamp scored 29 goals and totaled 74 points in 87 games, finishing with a +55 rating.
In his junior year, the 2025-26 campaign, he led the team in scoring. He also picked up All-NCHC First Team honors, was named the NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year, helped Denver win the National Championship over the University of Wisconsin, and finished as a Hobey Baker Award finalist.
After that NCAA run, Pohlkamp signed a two-year, entry-level deal with the Sharks last April. This season with the Barracuda, the right-shot defenseman has seven assists and a -2 rating in 10 games.
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