Player's Profile
Picture Courtesy of Holly Gunning
- Name: Josh Birkholz
- Position: RW
- Shoots: Right
- Height: 6-1
- Weight: 185 lbs
- Birthdate: 1991-03-28
- Eligible for Draft: 2009
- Drafted: 2009
- Hometown: Maple Grove, Minnesota
- Acquired: 3rd round (67th overall), 2009
- Playing In: CHL
Josh Birkholz
Prospect Grade: 6.0 D (About Prospect Grades)
Profile Contributed By: HF Staff
History
2007-08: Birkholz scored 34 goals with 25 assists for Blake High School in Minnesota and was named Honorable Mention All-State by AP. He was selected in the second round (26th overall) of the USHL Futures Draft by the Fargo Force. Birkholz played for Team USA at the Five Nations U-17 Tournament and at the World Junior A Challenge. He committed to the University of Minnesota for 2009-10.
2008-09: Birkholz played with the USHL Fargo Force. He scored 21 goals with 15 assists and was -3 and 52 PIM in 51 games.
2009-10: Birkholz appeared in 36 games in mostly third and fourth line roles in his freshman year at the University of Minnesota. He finished with 5 goals and 1 assists and was +3 with 20 PIM. In July, he announced he was leaving school to play for the Everett Silvertips in the WHL.
2010-11: Birkholz had mixed success in his first season of junior hockey with Everett (WHL). The former Minnesota Gopher scored 18 goals, second on the team, but Everett finished under .500 and was swept in the first round of the playoffs by Portland. Along with his 18 goals he had 11 assists and was -6 with 64 PMs. Birkholz had 2 assists and was -2 with 2 PMs in the four-game series with Portland.
Talent Analysis
Birkholz is a good skater with a good blend of size, skill, and speed who shows power play potential, a good touch around the net and plays a defense conscious, two-way game. On the downside, he sometimes floats away from the play and is not always consistent.
Future
Birkholz has the size and skill set to be a two-way forward at the pro level. However, his inconsistency and questionable desire to compete on every shift as left his status as a NHL prospect in doubt. The fact that he has yet to sign a contract with the Panthers can be seen as a key to his future in that organization, and with the massive influx of young talent into the pipeline, Birkholz may be finding himself more marginalized. He had a good showing at the Florida summer development camp, and has an opportunity to impress this fall at training camp. The possibility exists for him to return to the WHL as an over-ager, but his opportunities are dimming.
Stats
.
Profile Last Updated: October, 12th 2011
HF Quick Navigation
