2024 Draft Picks Among Best In Penguins System

Kyle Dubas added two more top ten prospects to the Pittsburgh Penguins system in Vegas.

Nick Belsky | Jul 16, 2024

Pittsburgh Penguins' prospects Tanner Hower (left) and Harrison Brunicke (right) pose after being selected in the 2024 NHL Draft. / via @penguins on X

In this story:

Pittsburgh Penguins

While many may not be happy with Pittsburgh Penguins' President and general manager Kyle Dubas, one thing is unavoidable. He quickly filled the top end of the prospect system with promising talent. That was one of Dubas' stated goals when he took over in June of 2023.

A few weeks later, Dubas selected Brayden Yager with the 14th pick in the 2023 draft. Yager is unquestionably the Penguins' top prospect in the system and is the most promising over a half-decade. Fast forward to the 2024 draft, Dubas added a pair of 18-year-old prospects who immediately became two of the best pieces in the Penguins pipeline.

Harrison Brunicke, drafted 44th overall, joins a depleted group of defensive prospects. Outside of 2022 first-rounder Owen Pickering and 2023 second-rounder Emil Pieniniemi, there haven't been many blue-liners to write home about in the Penguins system. Brunicke stands apart from those two for another reason. He's right-handed.

The 6'3" defender just completed his first development camp, but he may be the second-best defensive prospect the Penguins have.

Tanner Howe, drafted 46th overall, brings a new flair to the Penguins prospect ranks. He's a player that Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan would call "hard to play against."

Howe joins a more crowded crop of left-wing prospects but could move up the list quickly. The current captain of the Regina Pats will be eligible to join the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins of the AHL full-time next season in 2025-26, and with his gritty and physical style, Howe will make a quick impression on the Penguins fan base.