- Penguins drafted Markus Ruck 39th overall, a day after taking twin brother Liam at No. 22
- First set of twins drafted by the same NHL team since the Sedins in 1999
- Read below for Kyle Dubas on why Pittsburgh wanted them together
The Penguins weren’t about to split up the Ruck twins.
Pittsburgh took forward Markus Ruck 39th overall on Saturday, a day after grabbing his twin brother Liam in the first round at No. 22. The brothers are headed to the same NHL team, and the symmetry wasn’t lost on anyone.
They’re the first set of twins drafted by the same franchise since Daniel and Henrik Sedin went second and third to Vancouver in 1999.
General manager Kyle Dubas never hid that he wanted both. He talked up how inseparable the brothers are, per Penguins reporter Michelle Crechiolo.
“I think at the combine they said they’d spent four nights apart total in their whole lives,” Dubas said Friday. “So I think that would make sense, if that’s the way the board falls tomorrow.”
Liam went first, off the board Friday night in the opening round.
Markus made it official a day later. The two spent this past season tearing up the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers, where they finished as the league’s top two scorers. Playing on the same team is nothing new for them.
Central Scouting had them ranked close, too, slotting Liam 20th and Markus 23rd among North American skaters.
Neither is jumping straight to the pros. Both will return to Medicine Hat for 2026-27, then suit up together at the University of North Dakota in 2027-28.
Dubas walked away with two skilled forwards who already know how to play off each other. Pittsburgh just has to wait a couple of years to watch it happen in black and gold.
