President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas and the Penguins' scouting staff drafted six players on Day Two of the 2024 NHL Draft held at Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Penguins drafted their first selection in 2024 with Harrison Brunicke (2nd round, 44th overall), followed by Tanner Howe (2nd round, 46th overall), Chase Pietila (4th round, 111th overall), Joona Vaisanen (6th round, 175th overall), Mac Swanson (7th round, 207th overall) and Finn Harding (7th round, 223rd overall).
Brunicke, 18, played in 49 games with the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL during 2023-24, totaling 21 points (10G-11A). The Johannesburg, South Africa native has spent parts of the past three seasons with Kamloops. He recorded a total of 29 points (14G-15A) in 110 games. The 6-foot-3, 196-pound defenseman won gold and totaled four points (1G-3A) with Canada in the 2024 World Under-18 Championship.
Howe, 18, spent the 2023-24 season with the Regina Pats of the WHL, where he served as captain and led the team in goals (28), assists (49) and points (77) in 68 games. The 5-foot-10, 183-pound forward has played in parts of the past four seasons with Regina recording 233 points (92G-141A) in 207 games. With Regina, his best season came in 2022-23 when he totaled career highs in goals (36), assists (49) and points (85). The Prince Albert, Saskatchewan native helped Team Canada win gold at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he played five games and notched four points (2G-2A). The forward skated with Canada in two World Under-18 Championships (2022 and ‘23) winning bronze in 2023. Howe was ranked 41st among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Pietila, 20, spent the 2023-24 season with Michigan Tech of the NCAA, recording 22 points (3G-19A) in 40 games. The 6-foot-2, 187-pound defenseman spent three seasons (2020-23) in the USHL between the Lincoln Stars (2020-21) and Youngstown Phantoms (2021-23), tallying 50 points (8G-42A) through 164 games. The Howell, Michigan native won a Clark Cup championship in the USHL with Youngstown and a CCHA championship in 2023-24 with Michigan Tech.
Vaisanen, 19, spent the 2023-24 season with Dubuque of the USHL, where he totaled 40 points (9G-31A) in 53 games. The 6-foot, 176-pound defenseman also played for Team Finland at the 2024 World Junior Championship. The Espoo, Finland native finished fourth in the league in scoring among USHL defenseman this season and was named to the USHL's First All-Star Team.
Swanson, 18, totaled 77 points (26G-51A) in 55 games with the Fargo Force of the USHL in 2023-24, helping lead them to a Clark Cup Championship. He was named Clark Cup MVP, the USHL Player of the Year and to the USHL First-All Star Team. The 5-foot-7, 165-pound forward has spent the past two seasons with Fargo where he has notched 38 goals, 94 assists and 132 points in 112 games. The Anchorage, Alaska native is committed to play collegiate hockey at the University of North Dakota in 2024-25.
Harding, 19, totaled 34 points (10G-24A) through 68 games and was plus-39 with the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL in 2023-24. The 6-foot-1, 201-pound defenseman has played two seasons with Mississauga recording 12 goals, 32 assists and 44 points in 131 games and is plus-47.
