Harrison Brunicke, a professional ice hockey player with South African roots, has been making waves in the NHL. Selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the 2024 draft, Brunicke is the first skater born in South Africa to achieve this milestone. Although he moved to Calgary at age two and grew up in Canada, his unique background remains a talking point among teammates.
Brunicke shared insights into his heritage and interests during an interview from Calgary. He spoke about Safari Outpost, a store selling South African products where his family buys sausages. “That’s the biggest thing South African people make,” he said. His father also makes beef jerky using a ventilation system to dry out meat.
When discussing his culinary preferences, Brunicke mentioned enjoying Italian pasta and having tried crispy rice and tuna at Nobu in Hungary during a pre-tournament camp for Hockey Canada. He also appreciates Mexican cuisine and enjoys desserts from Crumbl.
Brunicke has formed friendships within his team, notably with Owen Pickering. The two defensemen bonded over cooking salmon together after Brunicke joined Wilkes-Barre/Scranton following Pickering’s first-round draft selection two years earlier.
Reflecting on his successful 2024-25 campaign, Brunicke noted how supportive Pickering was when he scored his first professional goal. Despite having no strict pregame routine, Brunicke likes to nap for two hours after meetings and then eat chicken and rice or pasta prepared by his billet.
Before games, Brunicke watches clips of himself or other defensemen for motivation. “It makes me feel good in the moment,” he explained.
Growing up admiring Erik Karlsson, Brunicke found it special to be around the three-time Norris Trophy winner during last year’s training camp despite Karlsson’s injury preventing him from playing much on ice. This fall, Brunicke aims to share more ice time with Karlsson as part of his ongoing development.
