Brunicke, Howe Growing into Pros

Two years after Harrison Brunicke and Tanner Howe were selected by Pittsburgh in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft, they helped Wilkes-Barre/Scranton advance to the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in over a decade.

Both players took a lot from this past season in particular, for different reasons. And after WBS got eliminated by the Toronto Marlies, Brunicke and Howe reflected on where they are at right now.

A Unique Season

Brunicke’s year was busy, to say the least. The defenseman, who turned 20 last month, spent time with Pittsburgh, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Team Canada and Kamloops, moving between all of the clubs.

“Obviously, a unique season for myself. I played on like, four or five different teams,” Brunicke said. “I got to play in the NHL at 19, that's definitely a big accomplishment for myself. I don't think many people can say they did that.”

After nearly making the team out of his first-ever training camp in 2024, Brunicke was named to the opening-night roster in 2025. He made his NHL debut in the season opener on Oct. 7 against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, and played nine total games with Pittsburgh, which kept Brunicke from burning up a year of his entry-level contract.

“Super happy I got those nine games in. Learned a lot about myself as a person and a player,” Brunicke said. “I got given things from the guys up top about what I need to do ultimately to stay in the NHL.”

His play at the NHL level did start to get wobbly, as Kyle Dubas put it, which is typical for young defensemen. But when he wasn’t in the lineup, Brunicke was able to hone in on certain areas of his game, like skating, strength and power, with the development staff in Pittsburgh. That helped set Brunicke up for success the rest of the way.

The Penguins tried to time a five-game conditioning stint with WBS to happen right before the World Junior Championship obligations began. Getting the chance to represent Canada at that tournament meant a lot to Brunicke, as he had been injured the previous year. From there, Brunicke reported back to juniors, helping the Blazers make the playoffs. After their season ended, Brunicke rejoined WBS for their Calder Cup run, playing on the first D pairing.

“Between the Buffalo [Prospects Challenge] tournament, the pre-season for us where I think he played five games, the nine with us, the five games in Wilkes, plus all the work he was able to do directly with our staff – I think in terms of how it served his long-term, that's on display now in Wilkes,” Dubas said last month, when WBS was still playing. “I think we're very happy with how the year went.”

And now that it’s officially over, Brunicke feels the same. He said being part of this WBS squad was the most fun he ever had playing on a team. Ending on a strong note like that has given him plenty of confidence heading into the summer, where Brunicke will focus on having a strong offseason in the gym as he prepares for a full season at the professional level.

“Just thinking about each game, I felt really good throughout the whole time I was here,” Brunicke said. “There's going to be ups and downs and mistakes, but ultimately I think I'm really rounding out my game. There's obviously still things I got to improve on, but yeah, I felt really good.”

A Long Road

While Brunicke was able to move around and play games, Howe spent a good chunk of the season rehabbing from a torn ACL he suffered during the 2025 Western Hockey League playoffs, where he was teammates with Ben Kindel on the Calgary Hitmen.

“Knee injuries are never fun,” Howe said. “It was a lot of rehab, and I worked really hard. The trainers here (in WBS) and in Pitt took really good care of me, and they did a really good job.”

Howe underwent surgery last April, and made his professional debut with WBS in February. Penguins management didn’t want Howe to put any sort of pressure on himself with the double whammy of returning to game action after months of being sidelined, while adjusting to a new level of play.

“I think at the start and coming back, they just wanted me to get a feel of it,” Howe said. “Just go out there and just not think, just play ... get my legs under me.”

It was challenging, but not unexpected. As Howe said, it’s a cliché that the guys are bigger and stronger, so he was prepared for that.

“You talk to guys, you know that. You work hard in the gym for that reason,” Howe said. “I feel like the start was tough to get the timing of the game down, getting the game legs back. I thought, as I played more games, I only got better. Got more of my touch back, and more of the pep in my step.”

Howe finished the regular season with eight goals and 16 points in 27 games, before recording three goals and five points in 14 playoff games. From management’s point of view, even though they knew Howe was working through a lot, it didn’t really show.

“To see him come into this year, a first-year young pro coming off an ACL surgery, he didn't really struggle,” said Amanda Kessel, Director of Minor League Operations and WBS Assistant GM. “I think it's credit to him, he works extremely hard. Everyone loves the kid... I think he's versatile, he could play on the first line or the fourth line and be effective. He can play penalty kill, power play. He's somebody who can play in multiple different roles and excel at them.

"He’s a warrior, and somebody that is a winner, and you want on your team.”

Now, Howe is looking forward to having a healthy summer after earning the opportunity to go to battle with this group.

“Yeah, it was a lot of fun,” he said. “There was a lot of work that went into it. It was a long injury. So, it was super fun. It was really cool to be a part of this team. The guys that were here, they made it really easy coming in, and obviously, the first year's a tough year. But they made it easy, and it was a lot of fun. Looking forward to a big summer, and come back even better next year.”