Does he not have very many assists because he isn't that good at getting his teammates the puck, or is it because his teammates aren't very good at scoring goals?
A bit of both I guess. He played for the worst team in the WHL that also scored the least amount of goals in the league. The top scorer on that team had only 19 goals, although their best players only played half a season. Brunicke led his team's defensemen in goals, was second in points, and third in assists. And that's after missing a third of the season. Not as awful as one would expect.
Some scouts do consider him poised on the puck in the DZ. He's a bit more turnover prone in transition if he chooses to pass or gets too fancy. The vision isn't anything spectacular, and the OZ game is a work in progress. But he does show flashes of something much more. If he gets more help, look out.
Mitch Brown of Elite Prospects compares him to Thomas Harley in terms of upside.