The Pittsburgh Penguins selected Harrison Brunicke 44th overall at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Here is his story, presented by Upper Deck.
The Pittsburgh Penguins did not have a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft after trading it away to the San Jose Sharks for Erik Karlsson on Aug. 6, 2023.
Their original first pick then went to the Buffalo Sabres after the Sharks made a deal with them on June 27, 2024.
Therefore, the Penguins' top pick in the draft ended up being in the second round, 44th overall, where they selected defenseman Harrison Brunicke.
Pittsburgh announced Thursday that they had signed the Johannesburg, South Africa, native to a standard three-year entry-level deal.
Although born on another continent, Brunicke moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, when he was two and fell in love with hockey as a kid.
If he makes it into the NHL, he'll become only the second South African-born player, behind Vezina Trophy winner Olaf Kolzig, who also moved to Canada in his youth.
Brunicke recently played with the Kamloops Blazers in the Western Hockey League. The 6-foot-4, 196-pound defenseman scored 21 points in 49 games.
Thus far, in 110 games in the WHL, he's tallied 14 goals and 29 points. Brunicke is expected back with the Blazers for the 2024-25 season.
Last year, he won a Gold Medal with Team Canada at the U18 World Junior Championships. If he has another standout season in the WHL, he could earn his way onto the U20 team, which is looking to defend its Gold Medal at the 2025 World Junior Championships.
Brunicke's head coach with the Blazers, Shaun Clouston, had this to say about his career trajectory ahead of a recent CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game; "He's a guy that has the potential to have a really long career as a pro; I think. He has tools that are transferable. I think he's an intelligent player. I think as he matures physically- like he's got good size already- but as he matures, physically, he's going to be a force to be reckoned with."
At 18, there's no rush to get Brunicke to Pittsburgh. However, if he continues to develop ahead of other prospects in the system, he could find himself in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for a cup of coffee.
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