Penguins keep Ruck twins together at NHL draft - BERITAJA

BUFFALO – Markus Ruck was ecstatic for his sibling. There was besides a important level of anxiety.

Liam Ruck — teammate, linemate and copy relative — was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins pinch the 22nd prime during Friday night’s first information of the NHL draft.

Markus, who is 8 minutes older, was still waiting for his sanction to beryllium called erstwhile the family returned to their hotel.

Would different squad return him early Saturday erstwhile proceedings resumed connected the arena level astatine KeyBank Center? Would the Penguins drawback him astatine No. 39? Or moreover waste and acquisition up the committee to guarantee the set stayed together?

“I was beautiful stressed,” Markus said. “(Liam) told maine everything’s gonna beryllium OK and will activity itself out.”

The twins, successful the end, sewage their wish. And could yet exhale.

Pittsburgh selected Markus Ruck 7 picks into the 2nd information — reuniting the brothers and fulfilling a dream the Osoyoos, B.C., products person shared since first lacing up their skates.

“I was conscionable praying and hoping,” he said. “To person that happen, there’s not galore words to picture it. It’s truthful special.”

The 18-year-old forwards, who person ne'er spent much than 4 days isolated since birth, are coming disconnected banner seasons pinch the Medicine Hat Tigers that saw them decorativeness 1-2 successful scoring crossed the full Canadian Hockey League.

Markus, a playmaking centre, put up 108 points (21 goals, 87 assists), while Liam registered 104 points (45 goals, 59 assists) arsenic a shooter connected the wing.

“We knew it was gonna beryllium very reliable for a squad to do this,” Markus said of staying together pinch an NHL organization. “We conscionable can’t convey Pittsburgh capable … we knew it was a beautiful debased chance to beryllium honest. We couldn’t beryllium much excited.”

The Rucks are slated to play 1 much Western Hockey League run successful Alberta earlier heading to the University of North Dakota successful 2027-28.

Liam said aft getting picked Friday his fingers were crossed Pittsburgh’s guidance squad led by president and wide head Kyle Dubas would besides tab his brother.

“It’s a typical enslaved we’ve got,” he said successful the moments aft going No. 22. “I’m conscionable going to beryllium conscionable arsenic happy to spot him get drafted, because we’ve been done everything together. It was a typical hug.”

The brothers some guidelines six feet tall, while Liam is 10 pounds heavier astatine 177. Liam was pegged arsenic the 20th-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting. Markus slotted successful astatine No. 23.

“I didn’t really attraction erstwhile (Pittsburgh) picked me,” Markus said Saturday, the alleviation connected his look apparent. “I knew wherever I wanted to spell and who I wanted to beryllium with.”

The Vancouver Canucks opened the 2nd information by taking Brooks Rogowski astatine No. 33.

The six-foot-seven centre from Brighton, Mich., was focused connected shot — his father, Casey, and uncle, Ryan, were some drafted by awesome convention teams — earlier zeroing successful hockey.

“This was the correct decision,” he said. “I deliberation that they’re much than happy pinch that.”

The Calgary Flames chose winger Chase Harrington astatine No. 36 earlier Vancouver took winger Niklas Aaram-Olsen astatine No. 41. Calgary made Tobias Trejbal the first goaltender disconnected the committee 1 prime later.

The Ottawa Senators chose winger Alan Shaikhlislamov astatine No. 55, the Montreal Canadiens selected Timofei Runtso astatine No. 57, the Edmonton Oilers sewage centre Rudolfs Berzkalns astatine No. 58, and the Toronto Maple Leafs grabbed defenceman Alexander Bilecki astatine No. 60.

After selecting Gavin McKenna astatine No. 1 connected Friday, Toronto besides dealt blueliner Brandon Carlo, who was acquired from the Boston Bruins up of the March 2025 waste and acquisition deadline for centre Fraser Minten and a first-round pick, to the St. Louis Blues for a brace of 2026 third-rounders.

The Vegas Golden Knights would person picked 63rd, but were docked their second-round prime arsenic portion of the reward for “flagrant violations” of the league’s media regulations during the 2nd information of the playoffs.

The Flames took winger Joe Iginla — boy of erstwhile skipper and franchise fable Jarome Iginla — pinch the 65th prime to footwear disconnected the 3rd information earlier adding centre Egor Barabanov (No. 100), guardant Simon Katolicky (No. 132) and defenceman Bode Laylin (No. 164) to complete their draft.

Toronto utilized 4 selections successful the 3rd information — including the brace acquired for Carlo — adding defenceman Ethan MacKenzie (No. 69), winger Zach Olsen (No. 73), blueliner Mans Gudmundsson (No. 76) and netminder Juuso Ainasto (No. 85).

The Maple Leafs past added goaltender Patriks Plumins (No. 114), centre Cooper Williams (No. 158), defenceman Yaroslav Fedoseyev (No. 161) and winger Brody Pepoy (No. 169).

The Jets picked goaltender Samuel Hrenak (No. 71), winger Zach Wooten (No. 116), defenceman Alexandre Taillefer (No. 135), centre Landon Hafele (No. 167), defenceman Alofa Tunoa Ta’Amu (No. 199) and netminder John Parsons (No. 220).

The Senators chose winger Adam Nemec (No. 72), centre Oscar Holmertz (No. 87), guardant Louis-Felix Bourque (No. 91), goaltender Elliot Lennon (No. 110) on pinch defencemen Harris Pangretitsch (No. 151) and Alexander Grunin (No. 183).

The Oilers selected winger Malcolm Gastrin (No. 84), defenceman Andrew Robinson (No. 133), centre Caden Harvey (No. 180) and goaltender Ryan Cameron (No. 212).

The Canucks picked wingers Yaroslav Bryzgalov (No. 97), Connor Davis (No. 129), Lucian Bernat (No. 176) and blueliner Samuel Eriksson (No. 184).

The Canadiens took defencemen Cooper Cleaves (No. 93) and Brayden Klimpke (No. 117), wingers Parker Trottier (No. 189) and Wesley Royston (No. 190), blueliner Jean-Samuel Daigneault (No. 221) and guardant Tyler Deakos (No. 224) triumph the draft’s last selection.

This study by BERITAJA was first published June 27, 2026.