For 19-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins' defensive prospect Harrison Brunicke, it is only a matter of time.
It is evident through just three days of the Penguins' annual Prospect Development Camp that the young, smooth-skating blueliner is, simply, a level above everybody else. His skating - though it didn't need much improvement - looks more explosive and even smoother than it did at this time last year. His puckhandling skills and offensive instincts have been on display, too, and he's been a mentor of sorts to some of the younger Penguins' defensive prospects who are attending camp for the first time.
Brunicke nearly made the NHL roster out of training camp last season after a wildly impressive pre-season. He has made it his goal to make it across the finish line this time around.
“It’s the goal to stay here. That’s the dream,” Brunicke said. “So, I’m going to have the right mindset going into dev camp to start here and then throughout main camp and pre-season.”
In watching the 6-foot-3, 202-pound South African native, it’s clear that he is a level above his peers. Brunicke is probably beyond juniors at this point.
But, unfortunately, his path to the NHL won’t be an easy one - even if it’s where he probably should be next season.
The Penguins, as an organization, love Brunicke, and it's easy to see why. In the aftermath of his standout training camp, he took a big step last season when he went to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) for 10 games after his junior season with the Kamloops Blazers (WHL) ended - registering two points - and he also appeared in both playoff games for WBS, potting his first career AHL goal and an assist.
Penguins Prospect Development Camp: Standouts From Day 1On Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins opened their annual Prospect Development Camp, which features 48 players both from the Penguins' system and outside of it.
There were some growing pains in that 12-game stint. It was evident that, at first, Brunicke was adjusting to playing against grown men and professional hockey players, especially in comparison to the ask of him in Kamloops. There, he is - without a doubt - a bad team's best player, and the team relies on him to, pretty much, do it all himself.
“The first couple of games, I was just trying to do too much - kind of bringing those junior habits - and it just wasn’t working,” Brunicke said. “So, I eventually talked to [assistant general manager Jason Spezza] a little bit about just playing more simple and kind of toning that down. I think that really helped me, and I started to play some of my best hockey.”
As he learned, “doing it yourself” is not the case in the AHL, and it won't be the case in the NHL. It's something that Brunicke picked up on - and started to correct - very quickly during that short stint, and that aptitude and adaptability did not go unnoticed by the Penguins.
"I think he took the constructive criticism and was able to apply it right away,” Kostopoulos said. “If you watched his games in Wilkes-Barre, there was growth, but it took off. It was impressive how he grew into the games in the playoffs. He looked very confident for a young kid.
“So, we’re really excited about his potential that he’s got to be a really good two-way defender with offensive upside.”
There certainly is a lot of potential with Brunicke - who is, arguably, the Penguins’ top prospect. But here’s the thing: If Brunicke goes back to Kamloops this season, the expectation for him is not going to change. He is not yet AHL-eligible - and he signed his entry-level contract, disqualifying him from the NCAA - so he only has two options.
Penguins sign defenseman Harrison Brunicke to entry-level contractThe 44th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft is signed through the 2026-27 season
The last thing the Penguins will want is to rush the development of their best defensive prospect, and that’s understandable. As it stands now, there is also a bit of a defensive logjam on the right side at the NHL level, as Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, new acquisition Connor Clifton, and roster hopeful Jack St. Ivany will all serve to make a final spot less attainable for Brunicke.
However, Brunicke is in a tough spot. The AHL would be the perfect landing spot for him in 2025-26, but since he can’t play there, he either has to move forward to the NHL, where he will burn a year of his entry-level contract but will at least be learning and growing, or move backward to Kamloops, where he risks picking up more bad habits and stunting his development.
What happens with Brunicke will, likely, largely depend on the fate of Karlsson, who has been the subject of trade speculation. If Karlsson is dealt, it is far more likely that Brunicke has a legitimate shot at the NHL roster out of camp.
But if Karlsson sticks around - and Brunicke has yet another outstanding training camp - the Penguins are truly going to have some tough decisions to make. If he is sent back to juniors, their best hope is that he gets traded to a contending team and isn’t forced to carry the load all by himself. Or, maybe, the best course of action would be to give Brunicke that nine-game trial run from the jump, just to see what he can do with the Penguins and if he can make things even more interesting for management.
In any case, Brunicke’s time is coming soon. And the Penguins need to make sure they make whatever decision is in the best interest for Brunicke’s development.
And - based on everything we’ve seen - I’m not sure that his “best interest” lies in junior hockey anymore.
With Breadth Of Positional Depth In The System, Penguins' Defensive Prospects Eager To Take Next StepsWhen Pittsburgh Penguins’ Prospect Development Camp began on Thursday, 48 players took the to the ice - some for the first time in black and gold, others returned to a familiar place.
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Feature image credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
