Kuhlman served as captain of Minnesota-Duluth as a senior in 2017-18, tallying 13 goals and seven assists for 20 points in 44 games. The 22-year-old center was named the 2018 NCAA Tournament MVP after leading the Bulldogs with a goal and an assist in the team's 2-1 victory over Notre Dame in the NCAA Championship. Kuhlman served as alternate captain as a junior in 2016-17, notching six goals and 16 assists for a career-high 22 points in 42 games, as the Bulldogs advanced to the Frozen Four before falling to Denver in the NCAA title game. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound forward was named alternate captain as a sophomore in 2015-16, recording 12 goals and eight assists for 20 points with a career-best plus-19 rating. As a true freshman in 2014-15, Kuhlman tallied eight goals and 10 assists for 18 points as the team earned a bid in the NCAA Tournament. The Cloquet, Minnesota native is tied for seventh in NCAA history with 166 consecutive games played.
Prior to attending Minnesota-Duluth, Kuhlman played one full season (2013-14) with the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey Leagues (USHL), where he amassed 25 goals and 19 assists for 44 points with a plus-16 rating in 56 appearances, and was selected to play in the USHL All-Star Game.
