College Transfer Updates: Pohlkamp, Benoit, Makar, Kukkonen

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06/04/2024 22:59

As college seasons have largely wound up aside from the four teams participating in the Frozen Four next week, activity in the transfer portal has picked up. Here's a rundown of the recent transfer news involving NHL prospects, via Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald.

Sharks prospect Eric Pohlkamp has transferred from Bemidji State to the University of Denver. The 20-year-old defenseman was a fifth-round pick last June, going 132nd overall after a strong season offensively with Cedar Rapids of the USHL. Pohlkamp had a productive freshman year for a blueliner, notching 11 goals and 13 assists in 32 games for the Beavers and will now join Denver, a program that has three of the top 15 blueline scorers in Division I. Two of those could be turning pro soon which would open up a spot for Pohlkamp to play a prominent role.
Wild blueliner Nate Benoit is looking for a new school as he has entered the transfer portal. Drafted in the sixth round in 2021 (182nd overall), Benoit only made his college debut this season with the University of North Dakota but was limited to just 19 games and just 8:31 per night. The 21-year-old will undoubtedly be looking to find a program where he can play a more prominent role.
After three years at UMass, Avalanche forward Taylor Makar is off to the University of Maine. The 23-year-old, who is Cale's brother, was Colorado's seventh-round pick in 2021 (210th overall) but hasn't had much success so far at the NCAA level and tallied just four goals and five assists in 36 games this season.
After Kyle Kukkonen's sophomore year at Michigan State didn't go anywhere near as well as his freshman campaign, he has transferred to Wisconsin. The Ducks drafted the 21-year-old in the sixth round in 2021 (162nd overall) and things were looking up last year when he had 18 goals and nine assists in 39 games. However, the center was limited to just a goal and 11 helpers in 27 contests this season, leading to the change of scenery.