Eric Pohlkamp’s rise in the Sharks system has been built the same way his game has: with force, patience and a whole lot of work. The 2023 third-round pick was once a surprise name at No. 132 overall, but each season has pushed him closer to becoming a real part of San Jose’s future. After this past year, he looks a lot more like a prospect on the verge than a long shot.
The biggest reason is simple: production. Pohlkamp put up 39 points, including 18 goals and 21 assists, in 43 games for the University of Denver and established himself as the Pioneers’ clear No. 1 defenseman.
His 18 goals led all NCAA defensemen, and he capped the season by helping Denver win an NCAA title. That kind of year also earned him a spot as a Hobey Baker “Hat Trick” Finalist in 2026, reserved for the three top college hockey players in a given season.
Pohlkamp’s profile is pretty straightforward on paper. He’s a right-shot defenseman, 5-foot-11, 205 pounds, born March 23, 2004. He’s now headed into 2026-27 with the San Jose Barracuda and San Jose Sharks in his future, and he moved up from 20th on the Sharks’ Top 25 Under 25 list in 2024 to 15th last season.
What makes him stand out is the weapon he brings from the blue line. Pohlkamp has a booming point shot that gives him a different kind of value than the Sharks’ other puck-moving defense prospects.
He’s not just trying to work the puck around and create something pretty. He can simply rip it from distance, and that kind of shot can beat goalies clean, create chaos around the crease or set up a tip if the timing is right.
He also plays with a style that doesn’t match the usual small defenseman mold. Instead of avoiding contact, he leans into it. He’s stocky, strong and aggressive, and as The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler writes, “… he uses that strength to play a physical, competitive and aggressive style offensively (taking charge with his shot) and defensively (playing to win bumps and engagements).”
The off-ice story fits the on-ice one. When the Sharks drafted him, Pohlkamp wasn’t at the draft.
He was at the gym, and he had to video chat to learn San Jose had picked him. From Bemidji State, he earned his way to the University of Denver, then set his sights on a national title before turning pro.
Denver won in April, and after celebrating for about a week, he signed his pro contract.
That poise shows up when the puck is on his stick too. He tends to make smart decisions, and when he takes risks, they’re usually the calculated kind that can open something up for his team.
Of course, the next step is where things get real. Corey Pronman pointed out in his August prospect report, “His defending versus college players was good.
As a pro, it will be a question. His skating is fine, but it’s not great for his size.”
That’s the test ahead. Pohlkamp has kept answering every challenge so far, but pro hockey has a way of exposing every weak spot. Even so, there’s enough fire in his game to think he’ll keep finding ways through it.
He signed his entry-level contract in April: two years, $1.05 million AAV. He should get a look in training camp, but the more likely landing spot is San Jose Barracuda.
The Sharks’ right side on defense is already set for now, so starting in the AHL makes sense. If injuries hit, though, Pohlkamp could be among the first names called, especially if the Sharks need help for someone like Jacob Trouba or Dmitry Orlov rather than Mattias Havelid or Leo Sahlin Wallenius.
The shot is the headline tool, and it’s easy to see why. Pohlkamp can fire bullets from the point, and goalies don’t have much margin for error against that kind of velocity.
He also showed he can turn offensive-zone reads into chances, including his first professional goal in preseason against the Anaheim Ducks. On that play, he drove to the hard area and used his shot to finish.
And if the Sharks are still collecting signs that he belongs, they’ve got one more: the production, the title, the contract, and a game that keeps moving in the right direction.
In Other News...
Sharks Blue Line Battle Is Already Taking Shape Under Warsofsky
The Sharks preseason opener against Anaheim was a rough first look on the scoreboard, with the Ducks rolling to a 6-2 win behind Beckett Senneckes natural hat trick. But for San Jose, the more important story was up and down the blue line, where a handful of young defensemen got their first real chance to show how they fit into Ryan Warsofskys plans as roster battles begin to take shape.
Warsofsky came away with a mix of encouragement and unfinished business from the group, and his remarks underscored how early this competition still is. Eric Pohlkamp drew notice, Nolan Allan was starting to move in the right direction after a quiet start to camp, and Leo Sahlin-Wallenius was getting his first taste of North American pro hockey. For a defense corps still trying to sort out who can handle bigger responsibility, those evaluations may matter more than the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Fans Just Got A Glimpse Of A Truly Unique Prospect
Alexander Karmanov gave Sharks fans a look at just how unusual he is during training camp and the Rookie Faceoff, where the 6-foot-6 forward worked alongside a group of players trying to carve out their place in the organization. San Joses coaches and players came away impressed not only by his size, but by the way he carried himself and the skill he showed as he spent time around NHL hopefuls and prospects.
The next step is still the patient one, as Karmanov is set to continue his development in junior hockey with the OHLs North Bay Battalion before eventually heading to Penn State for the 2027-28 season. For now, the Sharks can tuck away a memorable first look at a prospect who stood out in a camp built around competition, but whose long-term track is still very much in progress. [Read more 🡒]
Sharks Face 3 Crucial Prospect Calls With Time Running Short
The Sharks have a small but important set of prospect decisions looming, with Eli Barnett, Reese Laubach and Joey Muldowney all approaching the point where their draft rights could slip away next summer if they do not land entry-level deals. For a team still sorting through its future, these calls matter because each player sits in a different place on the path from draft pick to NHL hope, and the organization has to decide which ones are worth bringing into the fold now.
Barnett, a defenseman who has already left the NCAA, appears to be the most likely to miss out, while Muldowney and Laubach are in better position. Muldowneys recent season at UConn made him the strongest candidate to sign, and Laubach sits in the middle as a probable signing who would project more as organizational depth than a headline addition. [Read more 🡒]