​WINNIPEG, CANADA – NOVEMBER 1: Harrison Brunicke #45 of the Pittsburgh Penguins keeps an eye on the play during third period action against the Winnipeg Jets at the Canada Life Centre on November 1, 2025 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Jets defeated the Pens 5-2. (Photo by Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images We’re getting close to the end of this year’s list of the top young players in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ organization. Today, at No. 2, we see the organization’s prized young defensemen who turns full time this season and looks ready to take the next step in his journey.Pensburgh Top 25 Under 25: Graduates and Departed players in 2025Top 25 Under 25: The best of the rest#25: Chase Pietila, D#24: Ryan Miller, F#23: Finn Harding, D#22: Peyton Kettles, D#21: Zam Plante, F#21: Brady Peddle, D#20: Melvin Fernstrom#19: Tanner Howe#18: Tomas Galvas#17: Pierce Mbuyi#16: Jake Livanavage#15: Owen Pickering#14: Tristan Broz#13: Avery Hayes#12: Ville Koivunen#11: Hendrix Lapierre#10: Markus Ruck#9: Mikhail Ilyin#8: Joel Blomqvist#7: Liam Ruck#6:Will Horcoff#5: Bill Zonnon#4: Rutger McGroarty#3: Sergei Mursahov#2: Harrison Brunicke, D2024 Ranking: No. 3Age: 20 (May 8, 2006)Acquired Via: 2024 NHL Draft, 2nd Round, 44th OverallHeight/Weight: 6-foot-3, 201 poundsElite Prospects resume:The 2025-26 season was a wild one for Harrison Brunicke. He forced his way onto the NHL roster out of training camp – a rare feat for a teenaged defenseman. After nine games in the Show, next was a period of being a healthy scratch long enough to qualify for a loophole of an “AHL conditioning stint” for a 19-year old that by rule wasn’t allowed to play full-time in the top professional minor league due to his age. Following that, the Penguins assigned Brunicke to Team Canada for the World Junior Championships.Out of sync, it wasn’t a good event that saw his ice time and role slashed drastically. A disappointing personal performance matched by a disappointing third place finish for the Canadians.After that, the junior route was the only option that made sense. Brunicke was sent back to the WHL for the remainder of the season and told to focus on the areas that Pittsburgh wanted to see him improve on.“It was unique,” Brunicke told The Athletic in June. “It was different. I bounced around a little bit. But going back to juniors, I was given things to work on by Kyle and Spez. Defending the rush, closing quicker, better gaps, stuff like that. Playing more minutes in juniors really helped me with that stuff. I just kept working on what the Penguins told me they wanted me to work on. And the communication was good and consistent the whole time. Early on, there was a ton of communication. They gave me stuff to work on and, honestly, that’s all I really have been focusing on.”That ended up really growing his game, when Kamloops’ season was over there was one more change of leagues back to the AHL for Wilkes-Barre for the balance