Pittsburgh Hockey Insider has no direct affiliation to the Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL or NHLPA
Penguins prospect Harrison Brunicke given a prestigious honor heading into the 2026 World Junior Championships
Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Harrison Brunicke, who was taken with the 44th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, was just given a major honour by Team Canada for the upcoming 2026 World Junior Championships.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are hoping for big things for prospect defenseman Harrison Brunicke at some point, as he is one of several young players they have taken in the NHL Entry Draft with an eye on the future.
He'll be playing for Canada at the upcoming 2026 World Junior Championships, and he was just given a special honour.
He's been named one of the team's assistant captains with Cole Beaudoin; Porter Martone will be wearing the "C".
The World Junior Championships will begin tomorrow, and the gold medal game will be played on January 5.
Harrison Brunicke Was Named An Assistant Captain For Canada For The 2026 WJC
Brunicke, who is a defenseman, has already gained NHL experience by playing in nine games with the Penguins this year, and picked up his first NHL goal.
Per his scouting report via Elite Prospects, Brunicke is a jack of all trades type of player.
There's not much Brunicke can't do. In an instant, he goes from locking down the net-front to ending the cycle. He sticks to his check, communicates, and follows pokes with hits. Off the rush, he easily matches fast-moving attacks to push them wide and get the stop. If all fails, he has the speed to recover. - Elite Prospects
So far in the AHL this year with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Brunicke has four assists in five games.
Last year, he had 30 points (5G, 25A) with the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL before eventually playing 10 games with the WBS Penguins.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 25 | 77 ANSWERS Penguins prospect Harrison Brunicke given a prestigious honor heading into the 2026 World Junior Championships Will Harrison Brunicke be a regular Penguins defenseman by next year? | ||
| Yes | 68 | 88.3 % |
| No | 9 | 11.7 % |
| List of polls | ||