Blazers product Brunicke named to leadership group for Canada’s National Junior Team

Minneapolis, Minn. – Kamloops Blazers product Harrison Brunicke set to lead Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship in Minnesota after being named an alternate captain Christmas Day.

Brunicke, 19, who owns the unique record as the first South African-born skater in NHL history, joins captain Porter Martone (Brampton Steelheads, OHL) and alternate captain Cole Beaudoin (Barrie Colts, OHL) on Canada’s leadership group.

A second-round pick (44th overall) of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2024 NHL Draft, Brunicke started the season in the NHL, skating in nine games with the Pens before embarking on a conditioning stint with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins prior to being loaned to Canada’s National Junior Team.

Originally selected by the Blazers in the third round (52nd overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, Brunicke played 151 career WHL regular season games with Kamloops from 2021-22 through 2024-25. He served as an alternate captain for the Blazers in 2024-25, registering a career high 30 points (5G-25A) in 41 games. He also patrolled the Kamloops blueline during the 2023 Memorial Cup, appearing in four games and tallying one goal.

Brunicke remains eligible to return to the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers this season.

Canada will open the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship on Boxing Day (6:30 p.m. MT / 8:30 p.m. ET) when they face a WHL-laden squad representing Czechia at 3M Arena in Minneapolis.

The 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship gets underway in from Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minn., when Slovakia takes on Sweden in the tournament opening game at 11 a.m. MT / 1 p.m. ET.

Meet the captains! / Voici nos capitaines! 🇨🇦

C: Porter Martone (@OHFHockey)
A: Cole Beaudoin (@HEOhockey)
A: Harrison Brunicke (@HockeyAlberta)#WorldJuniors | #MondialJunior pic.twitter.com/xfwIakrRVT

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) December 25, 2025