The Medicine Hat Twins Are Staying Together on the 2026 Penguins
In the 2026 NHL Draft, the Pittsburgh Penguins used their first two picks to take twin brothers Liam Ruck and Markus Ruck. The 18-year-old twins from Canada were taken with the 22nd and 39th overall picks, respectively. Reports already indicate that the Rucks won’t join Pittsburgh until the 28-29 season, as they will finish out their time with the Medicine Hat Tigers, and then play a season at the University of North Dakota. Even so, the Penguins were able to keep together one of the best duos in terms of chemistry and now have two small and speedy forwards to add to their pool of prospects moving forward. Both brothers had fantastic seasons for the Tigers in 25-26, each recording more than 100 points. Liam, the right-winger taken 22nd overall, has 45 goals, 59 assists, and 104 points through 68 games. Markus, the center taken 39th overall, played alongside Liam not only as teammates but as linemates too. He recorded 21 goals, 87 assists, and 108 points through 68 games last season. With growing belief that the two Canadian brothers would only play if they could stay together, Pittsburgh made sure that happened.
The Ruck brothers' desire to play together goes beyond media attention and draft-day publicity. While Markus was "ecstatic for his sibling, there was also a significant level of anxiety”, according to SportsNet.Canada. After the twins left Friday night, with Liam’s name called, Markus left without being announced, and stress and worry arose. Would another team take Markus? Would the Penguins feel pressure and trade up to select him? Markus stated, “I was pretty stressed. Liam told me everything’s gonna be okay, and will work itself out.” The twins have been side by side since birth, spending no more than four days apart at a time. As incredible prospects coming out of Osoyoos, B.C., Canada, the two finished 1st and 2nd in total points in the Canadian Hockey League. An all-around playmaking center, paired with a shoot-first right-winger, leads to pucks on net and points on the board. Markus said that he was “just praying and hoping. To have that happen, there aren’t many words to describe it. It’s so special.” Their chemistry was extremely evident in the CHL, and now they’ll have a chance to bring that over to the NHL. The Penguins have many top scorers and players leaving in free agency, and others like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang will be out of the Steel City soon. The instant chemistry of the Ruck brothers could be exactly what is needed.
The selection of the Ruck brothers at 22 and 39 makes them the highest drafted pair of twins since Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin were taken second and third overall in the 1999 NHL Draft. They spent roughly 16 hours apart before Kyle Dubas and the Penguins did what most expected to happen and reunited the two Medicine Hat stars to continue their hockey careers together. Both twins are grateful to the Penguins for giving them this opportunity, with Markus saying, “We knew it was going to be very tough for a team to do this. We just can’t thank Pittsburgh enough. We knew it was a pretty low chance, to be honest. We couldn't be more excited.” Stats don’t lie, and neither does a lifelong connection like the one built between these 18-year-olds. Their weight, however, is a concern. Liam is 176 pounds, while Markus is only 168, and with both of them standing six feet tall, they are a bit undersized by NHL standards. Speed is helpful, but it must be paired with capable forechecking and power, which they currently lack. Since the twins will have two years before officially having a chance to play for the Penguins, they have the time to put on weight and muscle before making their NHL debut. “It’s a special bond we’ve got,” said Liam, and “I knew where I wanted to go and who I wanted to be with,” said Markus. The kids had a dream, and now they get to make it a reality with Pittsburgh.
