After forward Will Horcoff was named to Team USA's World Junior Championship (WJC) final roster on Wednesday, another Pittsburgh Penguins' prospect was given the same honors for his respective team.
And he got an additional honor as well.
On Thursday, Team Canada revealed its final 25-man roster for the upcoming tournament, and it included Penguins' top defensive prospect Harrison Brunicke. Brunicke, 19, was also named one of Canada's alternate captains for the WJC, joining Porter Martone (captain) and Cole Beaudoin (alternate) to make up the team's leadership group.
The WJC begins on Dec. 26 and will run through Jan. 5.
Selected 44th overall by the Penguins in 2024, Brunicke began the 2025-26 with the NHL club, playing in nine games and registering one goal. He also played a five-game AHL conditioning stint in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) prior to Team Canada's camp, putting up three points in five games and recording 13 shots on goal.
In preliminary round play, Brunicke appeared in two games for Team Canada and registered two assists. He has been a mainstay on the right side of Canada's second pairing, and he has seen time next to Kashawn Aitcheson - drafted 17th overall by the New York Islanders in 2025 - and 2026 draft-eligible Carson Carels, who has impressed so far.
Penguins Prospect Makes Team USA World Junior Team
Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Will Horcoff has made the Team USA World Junior team.
Brunicke has also seen a lot of special teams minutes, as he is on the first penalty kill unit and quarterbacks the second power play unit.
Canada begins round play in the WJC when they take on Czechia at 8:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 26, and the game can be viewed on NHL Network.
World Juniors: Brunicke, Horcoff Off To Good Starts In Preliminary Play
With the World Junior Championship set to begin in just four days on Dec. 26, things are starting to wrap up for camps and preliminary rounds preceding the event.
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