Penguins take twin brothers with their first two picks in the 2026 NHL draft

King Jemison, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Jun 27, 2026

Published in Hockey

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PITTSBURGH — The Penguins doubled down on Rucks in the 2026 NHL draft.

They selected Markus Ruck with the 39th overall pick in the second round Saturday, pairing the prolific scoring forward with his twin brother, Liam.

The Penguins drafted Liam, a right winger, with their first-round pick (No. 22) Friday.

It was widely expected that they would complete the twin tandem the next day, and they wasted no time — taking Markus with their first pick on Day 2 of the draft at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y.

Markus Ruck led all Canadian Hockey League skaters with 108 points in 68 games last season for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League. Liam ranked second with 104, including 45 goals.

Markus said he was nervous and praying that Pittsburgh would reunite him with his twin before he officially got the call.

“It’s so special. There’s not much words to describe it,” Markus said. “Me and my family are just so happy and thankful for Pittsburgh.”

Markus is listed at 6 feet and 164 pounds. He has primarily played center and dished out 87 assists for Medicine Hat in 2025-26. Some scouts project that he’ll play wing in the NHL.

The longest the twins have ever spent apart is four days. The Osoyoos, British Columbia, natives may not need to exceed that with both now being a part of the same NHL organization. They’re expected to return to Medicine Hat next season and are committed to the University of North Dakota for the 2027-28 campaign.

Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas made it fairly clear that they would pick Markus when he referred to the twins in the plural Friday.

“The physical development will be the key. I think that will allow them to build their power and improve their skating. If they can unlock that, that’ll be a major development for them,” Dubas said from the Penguins’ draft headquarters in Pittsburgh. “... We’ve got to build the power in them and get them off the ice as much as they are and get them in the gym with our staff.”

Though Markus slightly outscored his brother, Liam is considered the better prospect. The Penguins’ first-round pick has a snappy release and a knack for getting to dangerous scoring areas. He’s also a bit heavier (174 pounds) and a slightly better skater than Markus, though that’s an area both twins will have to improve.

Markus is a crafty playmaker with excellent hockey IQ. The twins seem to bring out the best in each other — a WHL general manager said that the Rucks “play like they have one brain between them.”

They led Medicine Hat to the semifinals of the Western Hockey League playoffs last season, picking up the slack after their former teammate and No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna left for Penn State.

“We’re obviously pretty close brothers. We go through everything together,” Liam said Friday. “... I get to compete with that guy every day. We’ve got a special bond.”

Now, the Penguins can benefit from that bond. While the Ruck twins will require some seasoning, they have top-six scoring upside that Pittsburgh’s prospect pool sorely needs.