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Penguins Analyst Believes Kyle Dubas Will Send Down Beloved Rookie If His Play Does Not Rapidly Improve
Tonight, NHL reporter Dan Kingerski has indicated that rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke needs to turn his game around or risk being sent back to juniors.
Heading into the 2025-26 season the Penguins decided to keep a pair of rookies Ben Kindel and Harrison Brunicke to reward them for their strong preseason showings.
After keeping both players, it was expected that Kindel and Brunicke would likely get the 9-game trial and then be sent back to their respective junior teams.
Now, with both players essentially at that games threshold, NHL reporter and analyst Dan Kingerski believes that Brunicke could be in danger of being sent back to the WHL.
Penguins Analyst Believes Harrison Brunicke's Days in Pittsburgh Could Be Numbered
While responding to fan questions earlier today Kingerski was asked about the likelihood of either Kindel or Brunicke making the roster beyond the 9-game trial.
In his response, Kingerski indicated he is nearly certain the Penguins will decide to keep Kindel around.
As for Brunicke, his next game or two could determine his future with Kingerski leaning toward him being sent back to Kamloops in the WHL.
Luckily, the Penguins have two more games before they have to decide what to do with Brunicke while Kindel has exhausted his 9-games which means the next NHL game he plays burns a year of his contract.
While Kindel's spot seems locked in at least beyond 9 games the real question will surround Brunicke and how much inconsistency the Penguins are willing to tolerate before deciding the WHL might be a better fit for the young defenseman.
Either way, the future is incredibly bright for both Kindel and Brunicke who figure to be crucial pieces of the next generation of Penguins hockey over the next several years.
Over the next couple of days, it will be interesting to hear from Kyle Dubas and Dan Muse as they make final determinations for both Kindel and Brunicke's future with the Penguins in 2025-26.
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 28 | 144 ANSWERS Penguins Analyst Believes Kyle Dubas Will Send Down Beloved Rookie If His Play Does Not Rapidly Improve Do you think the Pittsburgh Penguins should keep Harrison Brunicke beyond the 9-game trial? | ||
| Yes | 117 | 81.3 % |
| No | 27 | 18.8 % |
| List of polls | ||