The Pittsburgh Penguins' passing of the torch is in full effect with some big-name rookies making the opening night roster this week. Harrison Brunicke and Ben Kindel started their first game alongside Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang on Monday night, and Brunicke scored his first career goal in Thursday night's win over the New York Islanders. Brunicke took a moment to appreciate the moment post-game when speaking with reporters.
“You talk about that blacking-out feeling, that's kind of what I felt,” Brunicke said. “It's just a lot of excitement and happiness, for sure. It felt good.”
Penguins head coach Dan Muse might regret adding the rookies to the roster if they continue to contribute to the team's success. In a year where Pittsburgh hoped to fall close to the bottom and get a chance to draft another generational prospect in Gavin McKenna, they are now 2-0-0 after wins over their division rivals, the Islanders and New York Rangers.
While the Penguins still have a long way to go this season, early success puts general manager Kyle Dubas in a bind. He might've preferred to trade Evgeni Malkin this season to accrue some assets, but the fans won't be too happy about trading their second-line center when they are still in contention for a playoff spot. If Dubas must retain Malkin and Crosby beyond the trade deadline, the transition to the youth movement will have to wait.
Brunicke will be a massive part of that transition. He was a second-round pick in 2024 and missed most of last season with an injury, which makes making the team this season a testament to how highly the front office views him. Most organizations would've sent Brunicke back to the WHL to get in a full year of development, but Pittsburgh has seen enough to keep him around for at least the nine-game trial.
