Eric Robinson Bio
Eric Robinson is an American professional ice hockey player who plays as a winger for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 200 pounds, the left-shooting forward has built a reputation as a reliable contributor in bottom-six and middle-six roles since entering the league. He signed with the Carolina Hurricanes as a free agent on July 1, 2024, and helped the organization capture the Stanley Cup in 2026.
Early Life and Background
Eric Robinson was born on June 14, 1995, in Bellmawr, New Jersey, a small borough in Camden County across the river from Philadelphia. He grew up in a family with strong ties to the sport, which helped shape his early interest in ice hockey. His older brother, Buddy Robinson, also went on to play professional ice hockey in the NHL, suiting up for the Ottawa Senators, Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks, and Chicago Blackhawks.
Robinson attended Gloucester Catholic High School, a prep program in southern New Jersey, where he played prep hockey and graduated in 2013. His time at Gloucester Catholic gave him a competitive foundation against strong regional competition and prepared him for the jump to junior hockey. Robinson completed his final Midget season before being selected in the USHL Entry Draft, marking the end of his youth phase and the start of his organized junior career.
Path to Hockey
After graduating from Gloucester Catholic in 2013, Robinson was selected by the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League in the third round, 44th overall, in the 2013 USHL Entry Draft. He spent the 2013–14 season in the USHL, adjusting to the speed and physicality of top-tier junior hockey in North America. Following that single USHL campaign, Robinson committed to Princeton University of the ECAC conference to play collegiate hockey.
Robinson’s development at Princeton improved each season, and his role with the Tigers grew alongside his offensive production. In his senior year of 2017–18, he was selected as team captain and recorded a career-high 17 goals and 31 points in 36 games. He helped Princeton surprise the ECAC by winning the conference playoff tournament and earning a berth in the NCAA tournament, capping one of the strongest individual seasons in program history.
Eric Robinson Career
Early Career (2017–2018)
As an undrafted college free agent, Robinson drew considerable NHL interest after his senior season at Princeton. On March 27, 2018, he signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets added him to the roster immediately with the intention of burning a year off his contract, and Robinson made his NHL debut in the final game of the 2017–18 regular season, a 4–2 loss to the Nashville Predators on April 7, 2018.
Columbus Blue Jackets Breakthrough (2018–2023)
Robinson spent the early portion of his Blue Jackets tenure developing into a regular contributor, mixing time between the NHL roster and the American Hockey League affiliate. On November 12, 2019, he scored his first NHL goal against goaltender Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens, a milestone that confirmed his place at the top level. He became a consistent presence in the Columbus lineup over the following seasons, gradually earning a reputation for his skating and responsible two-way play.
The 2022–23 season marked Robinson’s offensive breakthrough. On February 28, 2023, he recorded his first career hat trick against goaltender Craig Anderson and the Buffalo Sabres. He finished the year with career highs of 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points across 72 regular-season games, establishing new personal bests in goals, assists, and points.
In the 2023–24 season, Robinson was placed on waivers and briefly assigned to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL, where he made nine appearances before being recalled. He returned to Columbus and contributed one goal in seven games before the Blue Jackets traded him to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a conditional 2025 seventh-round pick on December 6, 2023. With the Sabres, Robinson played a bottom-six checking line role and tallied 2 goals and 9 points in 40 regular-season appearances.
Carolina Hurricanes Era (2024–Present)
Robinson became an unrestricted free agent following his time in Buffalo and signed a one-year, $950,000 contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 1, 2024. The deal gave him an opportunity to compete on a deep forward group with a team in championship contention. Robinson fit into a supporting role for the Hurricanes and contributed on both special teams and at even strength throughout the 2024–25 campaign.
On June 20, 2025, the Hurricanes re-signed Robinson to a four-year contract worth $6.8 million that runs through the 2028–29 season, signaling long-term confidence in his role. He continued to feature in the Carolina lineup into the 2025–26 season and was part of the Hurricanes roster that won the Stanley Cup in 2026, the crowning achievement of his professional career to date.
Driving Style and Strengths
Robinson is recognized for his skating ability, length, and reliability in a structured team system. At 6 feet 2 inches, he uses his frame effectively along the boards and in the corners, and his left shot helps him work the cycle from the off wing. Coaches have leaned on him in defensive-zone coverage, on the penalty kill, and in matchup situations, while his offensive totals have trended upward when given consistent minutes.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones in Robinson’s career include his first NHL goal against Carey Price in November 2019, his first career hat trick against Craig Anderson and the Buffalo Sabres in February 2023, and his selection as captain of the Princeton Tigers in his senior season. His biggest team accomplishment came in 2026, when he won the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Eric Robinson Career Wins
Eric Robinson’s most significant team accomplishment is the 2026 Stanley Cup championship won with the Carolina Hurricanes. He has not won individual scoring titles at the NHL level, but his career-high 12-goal, 24-point season in 2022–23 with the Columbus Blue Jackets and his 17-goal senior season at Princeton stand out as personal benchmarks.
NHL Highlights
Robinson’s NHL journey began with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2018, where he developed into a regular contributor and recorded his first NHL goal and first career hat trick. After a midseason trade to the Buffalo Sabres in December 2023, he continued in a checking role before signing with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2024. His tenure in Carolina brought the biggest prize in hockey, as he was part of the Hurricanes team that lifted the Stanley Cup in 2026.
Other Wins and Performances
Before turning professional, Robinson served as captain of the Princeton Tigers and helped lead the program to the 2017–18 ECAC playoff championship and an NCAA tournament berth. His single USHL season with the Dubuque Fighting Saints also prepared him for the rigors of NCAA Division I hockey and the NHL game.
Eric Robinson Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Robinson comes from a hockey family. His older brother, Buddy Robinson, is a former professional ice hockey player who appeared in the NHL with the Ottawa Senators, Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks, and Chicago Blackhawks. The brothers’ shared path through the sport helped shape Eric’s development from youth hockey onward.
Personal Life
Eric Robinson was raised in Bellmawr, New Jersey, and continues to build his professional life around his NHL career. He maintains an active presence on social media, including an Instagram account under the handle @erobinson19.
2025 Season Performance
Robinson entered the 2024–25 season with the Carolina Hurricanes on a one-year, $950,000 contract signed on July 1, 2024. He settled into a depth forward role and provided steady contributions on the penalty kill and in defensive matchups, while also chipping in offensively when given offensive-zone starts. His work ethic and reliability made him a trusted option for the Hurricanes coaching staff across the regular season.
His play in Carolina earned him a new commitment from the organization. On June 20, 2025, the Hurricanes signed Robinson to a four-year, $6.8 million extension that runs through the 2028–29 season, a clear sign that the front office viewed him as a core piece of the team’s depth chart. He carried that momentum into the 2025–26 campaign and into the Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup run in 2026.
Looking ahead, Robinson remains under contract with the Carolina Hurricanes through 2029 and figures to remain a steady presence in the team’s bottom-six and on special teams. With the Stanley Cup now on his resume, his focus shifts to helping Carolina defend its title and to continuing the steady, two-way game that has defined his career.
