PuckSleuth
45Not on an NHL roster · Defense · Shoots R
Harrison Brunicke
Age 20 · 6'3" · 201 lb · Born in Johannesburg, ZAF
Cap hit
$929K
0.9% of $104M cap
Term
3 yrs
Through 2028-29, then RFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
—
needs 40 recent games
Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched
2025-26 regular season
GP
9
Goals
1
12.5% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
1
0.11 per game
TOI/GP
15:43
PP 0:24 · PK 0:03
xGF%
46.1
5v5
Game Score
+0.07
per game
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
-4
Blocks 13 · Hits 4
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 3 @ TOR · L 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12:39 | 0:00 | 0:08 | — | 100 | 1 | 0 | -2 | -0.30 |
| Nov 1 @ WPG · L 5-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15:38 | 0:00 | 0:04 | — | — | 1 | 0 | -2 | -0.46 |
| Oct 27 vs STL · W 6-3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 15:43 | 0:00 | 0:04 | — | 33 | 1 | 1 | -2 | -0.20 |
| Oct 21 vs VAN · W 5-1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 16:34 | 0:59 | 0:00 | — | 50 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.32 |
| Oct 18 @ SJS · W 3-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17:15 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 33 | 2 | 0 | +1 | +0.12 |
GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 132 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
25th percentile
5th percentile
41st percentile
47th percentile
56th percentile
48th percentile
4th percentile
62nd percentile
29th percentile
54th percentile
60th percentile
14th percentile
2nd percentile
87th percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleSpeed-first defenseman
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Brunicke is a fleet-footed defender who generates offense through transition chances and shooting volume. He struggles significantly with defensive positioning, play initiation, and winning puck battles in all situations.
- Shooting volume
- 67
- Playmaking
- 0
- Zone entries(est.)
- 67
- Forechecking
- 0
- Physicality
- 54
- Defensive impact
- 2
- Puck management
- 0
- Speed
- 72
Where he shoots from
Slot 0% · Mid-range 40% · Perimeter 60%(15 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Elite speed (72nd percentile) creates transition opportunities and rush chances
- Above-average shooting volume (67th percentile) keeps offense involved
- Solid puck-carrying velocity (67th percentile rush chances) moves play forward
Watch-outs
- Defensive impact sits at 2nd percentile, needs major foundational work
- Playmaking and puck management both near zero, limits offensive creativity
- Forechecking at bottom percentile means limited physical engagement in opponent zone
Similar style: Victor Soderstrom, Brandon Carlo (STL)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 9 GP
Season total +0.7, or +0.07 per game.
- Scoring
- +1.0
- Shooting
- +0.6
- 5-on-5 goals
- -0.6
- Defense
- -0.2
- Physical play
- +0.7
- Puck battles
- -0.7
- Penalties
- -0.2
Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 12.5 | 15:43 | — | +0.07 |
| Career | 1 seasons | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 12.5 | 15:43 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Harrison Brunicke (D) Odds & Betting Lines
Yahoo · Oct 3
- Penguins Defensive Future Is Coming Into Focus
BrlanskyPods.podbean.com · Sep 29
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 9 games · goals above average
Average +0.07 per game over these 9.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 21.9 mph
- 58th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 9
- Hardest shot
- 85.4 mph
- 25th pct
- Distance
- 22.2 mi
- OZ time
- 43.6%
- 78th pct
- DZ time
- 38.8%
Age curve
NHL defensemen · production index
At 20, defensemen typically produce 94% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 22, when the typical level is 98%.
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
3 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | PIT | $929K | 0.9% |
| 2027-28 | PIT | $929K | 0.8% |
| 2028-29 | PIT | $929K | — |
RFA after 2028-29. $2.787M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).