Tucker Poolman

Lore & Background

Poolman grew up in East Grand Forks, Minnesota, playing for the local high school team. After going undrafted in the NHL entry draft, he tried out for three teams in the NAHL and USHL before joining the NAHL's Wichita Falls Wildcats. He committed to the University of North Dakota in 2012 and was later drafted by the Omaha Lancers in the USHL, earning the Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year Award in 2013–14. In three collegiate seasons, he recorded a career-high 30 points in his final year and was named AHCA/CCM All-America West First Team, All-NCHC First Team, and the inaugural NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year.

Selected by the Winnipeg Jets in the fifth round of the 2013 draft, Poolman drew comparisons to Dustin Byfuglien for his physical play and versatility. He signed an entry-level contract in March 2017 but missed the rest of the season after reconstructive shoulder surgery. He made his NHL debut on October 9, 2017, and scored his first NHL goal on December 23. After four seasons with the Jets, he signed a four-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks on July 28, 2021. He made his Canucks debut on opening night of the 2021–22 season, paired with Quinn Hughes. He scored his first goal with Vancouver on November 17, 2021. In January 2022, he left a game feeling unwell and missed 26 games with headaches and migraines; upon returning in April, he left his first game back in the first period with the same symptoms. He played three games in the 2022–23 season before being placed on injured reserve due to migraine and concussion-related complications. On March 9, 2023, he was diagnosed with autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy (AAG), though this was not made public until January 30, 2026. He was traded to the Colorado Avalanche on October 6, 2024, but missed the entire season due to AAG, remaining on long-term injured reserve. He retired after his final contract due to recurrent AAG flare-ups.

Reader's Guide

Tucker Poolman's career is notable for its arc from undrafted junior player to NHL defenseman, and for the medical challenges that ultimately ended it. After going undrafted, he earned a spot in the NAHL and later the USHL, where he was named the top American-born junior player. At the University of North Dakota, he became the first defenseman since 2010–11 to reach 30 points and won the inaugural NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year Award. In the NHL, he played primarily as a third-pairing defenseman, appearing in 57 games for the Jets in 2019–20 and scoring his first playoff goal in 2021. His time with the Canucks was limited by recurring headaches and migraines, later diagnosed as autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy, a condition that forced him to miss extended periods. He was traded to the Avalanche in 2024 for salary cap purposes despite being unable to play, and retired after his contract ended. His career illustrates how undrafted players can reach the NHL through collegiate development, and how chronic health conditions can cut short a professional hockey career.

Did You Know?

• Poolman was diagnosed with autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy (AAG) on March 9, 2023, though this was not made public until January 30, 2026.
• He won the Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year Award in 2013–14 as the most outstanding American-born junior hockey player.
• He scored his first NHL goal on December 23, 2017, against the New York Islanders.
• His father Mark was a hockey trainer for the Dubuque Fighting Saints and the University of North Dakota.