CHL Prospect Pipeline: Pittsburgh Penguins

CHL Prospect Pipeline highlights those who played in 2023-24, who were born in 2004 or later, and are signed by or on the reserve list of an NHL club. Players who played NHL games in 2023-24 and were not returned to their CHL club are not considered.

Harrison Brunicke (D) — Kamloops Blazers
Acquired: 2024 NHL Draft (44th overall)
CHL career stats: 110GP | 14G | 15A | 29PTS
Signed: Yes

In his second full WHL season, Brunicke had a career high 10 goals and 21 points from the Blazers blue line. Earlier this year, the 18-year-old won gold with Canada at the 2024 U18 World Championships. When selected by Pittsburgh, Brunicke became the first skater born in South Africa to be chosen by an NHL club.

Cooper Foster (F) — Ottawa 67’s
Acquired: 2023 NHL Draft (174th overall)
CHL career stats: 136GP | 40G | 52A | 92PTS
Signed: No

Cooper’s third OHL season saw him tally a personal best 21 goals and 52 points while in the postseason he made 10 appearances as Ottawa reached the second round. Foster’s 21 goals ranked third among 67’s skaters.

Finn Harding (D) — Brampton Steelheads
Acquired: 2024 NHL Draft (223rd overall)
CHL career stats: 131 GP | 12G | 32A | 44PTS
Signed: No

Harding suited up in all 68 of the Steelheads’ games in 2023-24 where his 34 points set a new career high. He finished third among Steelheads d-men in scoring while he was one just of two blueliners to reach double digit goals. Harding suited up five times in the postseason where he had a goal and an assist.

Tanner Howe (F) – Regina Pats
Acquired: 2024 NHL Draft (46th overall)
CHL career stats: 207GP | 92G | 141A | 233PTS
Signed: No

Howe impressed yet again in 2023-24 as he had 77 points in 68 games while for the second straight campaign he finished with 49 assists. Howe led the Pats in scoring, goals (28), assists shots (201), and power play assists (23) while he won 51.9 per cent of his faceoffs. Howe won gold at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and bronze at the 2023 U18 World Championships with Canada.

Emil Pieniniemi (D) — Kingston Frontenacs
Acquired: 2023 NHL Draft (91st overall)
CHL career stats: 0GP | 0G | 0A | 0PTS
Signed: Yes

Pieniniemi spent 2023-24 with Karpat of Finland’s Liiga where he notched six points in 37 games as an 18-year-old. He also appeared in 10 postseason contests while he suited up for Finland at the 2024 World Juniors where his country dropped the bronze medal game to Czechia. Pieniniemi was the 10th overall pick in the 2023 CHL Import Draft.

Owen Pickering (D) — Swift Current Broncos
Acquired: 2022 NHL Draft (21st overall)
CHL career stats: 205GP | 27G | 106A | 133PTS
Signed: Yes

In his fourth WHL campaign, Pickering registered a career best 46 points in 59 games while he earned WHL Central Division First All-Star team honours for the second straight year. He also scored seven times and recorded a +18 rating. The 20-year-old added seven points in nine postseason games as the Broncos returned to the WHL Playoffs for the first time since 2017.