Harrison Brunicke is a defender who was selected 44th overall in June’s NHL Entry draft. He was only ranked 52nd among North American skaters by Central Scouting in their final rankings, making the selection a bit of a reach on the most conventional of wisdom. It hasn’t taken long for a bigger slice of the league and fans, players and coaches to see what the Penguins’ scouting staff and management saw in the prospect.
What started this summer as a trickle — even before the draft Brunicke was one of the best players on Canada’s U-18 team in May — has steadily grown to one of the most rapid turns of progression over just a few months that memory can recall.