The San Jose Sharks have signed University of Denver defenseman Eric Pohlkamp, the highest-scoring defenseman in the NCAA this season, to a two-year, entry-level contract, the team announced on Thursday. The Sharks drafted Pohlkamp with a fifth-round pick in 2023.

The 22-year-old started his collegiate career at Bemidji State before transferring to Denver for his sophomore and junior seasons. The native of Baxter, Minn., had 18 goals and 21 assists in 43 games this season as the Pioneers won the national championship. He also was one of three finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, given to college hockey’s top player.

Pohlkamp also played on the Pioneers’ Frozen Four team last season and became their leading blueliner after current Vancouver Canucks rookie Zeev Buium left to sign with the Minnesota Wild and make his debut in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Pohlkamp gives the Sharks another prospect in their defense pipeline as a right-hand shot with clear offensive instincts. He’s sturdy at a listed 5-foot-11, 210 pounds, and has a big shot that’s been effective on DU’s power play.

Many of San Jose’s top young blueliners are left-handed shots, including current rookie and 2024 first-round pick Sam Dickinson, as well as Luca Cagnoni (now playing in the American Hockey League), Haoxi Wang (Ontario Hockey League) and Leo Sahlin Wallenius (Swedish Hockey League).

The Sharks also have current AHL right-shot defender Mattias Havelid, but Pohlkamp could find an opportunity as the Sharks continue to revamp their patchwork defense corps, unless general manager Mike Grier goes outside the organization for immediate upgrades.

In his 2025 breakdown of the Sharks’ deep prospect pool, which he rated No. 1 among all NHL clubs, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler wrote that Pohlkamp plays a “physical, competitive and aggressive style” defensively with one major offensive tool in his arsenal. “He also has one of the hardest point shots outside the NHL — like he can absolutely bomb it,” Wheeler said.

“He doesn’t look or play like your typical sub-6-foot defenseman, playing with decisiveness before poise, attacking past the first layer and often laying big hits,” Wheeler wrote. “I think he’s got a chance to be an interesting pro defenseman, and I think he’ll become good organizational depth at minimum for someone. He’s also a righty. I’m a fan and he wouldn’t rank No. 15 in most pools.”