Eric Robinson (ice hockey)

Eric Robinson (born June 14, 1995) is an American professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career
Raised in Bellmawr, New Jersey, Robinson played prep hockey at Gloucester Catholic High School, graduating in 2013.

Robinson was selected by the United States Hockey League (USHL)'s Dubuque Fighting Saints in the third round, 44th overall, in the 2013 USHL Entry Draft after his final Midget year. He played the 2013–14 season in the USHL before playing collegiate hockey with Princeton University of the ECAC conference.

Robinson's development improved each year with the Tigers ice hockey team, increasing his points totals and role within the team. In his senior season in 2017–18, Robinson was selected as team captain. He recorded a career-high 17 goals and 31 points in 36 games while helping Princeton surprise everyone in winning the ECAC playoff tournament and being crowned 2017–18 champions, also earning a trip to the NCAA tournament.

Having been unselected in any NHL Entry Draft, Robinson attracted considerable NHL interest as a free agent and signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 27, 2018. With the intention to immediately burn a year off his contract, Robinson was added to the Blue Jackets' roster and made his NHL debut in the final game of the 2017–18 regular season, a 4–2 defeat to the Nashville Predators on April 7, 2018.

During the 2019–20 season, on November 12, 2019, Robinson scored his first NHL career goal with the Blue Jackets against Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens.

In the season, Robinson scored his first career hat trick on February 28, 2023 against Craig Anderson and the Buffalo Sabres. He completed the season posting a career high 12 goals and adding 12 assists for 24 points through 72 regular season games.

In his seventh season with the Blue Jackets in, Robinson was demoted to the AHL for the first time in four years after clearing waivers, and made 9 appearances with the Cleveland Monsters, before returning to Columbus. Contributing 1 goal through 7 games, Robinson was traded by the Blue Jackets to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a conditional 2025 seventh-round selection on December 6, 2023. He remained on the Sabres roster for the duration of the season, contributing with 2 goals and 9 points through 40 regular season appearances in a bottom-six checking line role.

As a free agent from the Sabres, Robinson was signed at the opening of free agency to a one-year, $950,000 contract for the season with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 1, 2024.

Personal
Robinson's brother, Buddy, is also a professional ice hockey player under contract in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He previously played in the NHL with the Ottawa Senators, Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks.