The Pittsburgh Penguins have selected Markus Ruck, a forward for the Medicine Hat Tigers, in the second round of the 2026 NHL Draft. This selection, at 39th overall, comes a day after the Penguins used their first-round pick, 22nd overall, to draft Markus’s twin brother, Liam Ruck, also a forward for the Tigers. This marks the first time since the 2008 NHL Draft that brothers have been drafted by the same team, a feat previously achieved by Justin Daniels and Drew Daniels with the San Jose Sharks.
The Ruck brothers, originally from Osoyoos, British Columbia, have expressed their desire to play for the same team. Kyle Dubas, President of Hockey Operations and General Manager for the Penguins, noted that the brothers mentioned at the combine that they had spent only four nights apart in their lives. This sentiment was shared with NHL teams during interviews, indicating a strong preference to remain together.
Markus Ruck’s Performance and Future Commitments
Markus Ruck led the Western Hockey League (WHL) in scoring during the last season, recording 87 assists and 108 points in 68 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers. He also contributed 13 points in 15 WHL playoff games and was named to the WHL (East) First All-Star Team. Over parts of three junior seasons, Ruck has accumulated 29 goals, 108 assists, and 137 points in 132 career games. The 2025 WHL Champion has also compiled 17 points in 29 career WHL playoff games.
Markus Ruck represented Team Canada at the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he recorded four assists in five games, helping his team secure a bronze medal. He is scheduled to return to Medicine Hat for the 2026-27 season and is committed to the University of North Dakota for the 2027-28 season.
Additional Draft Selections by the Penguins
On day two of the 2026 NHL Draft, the Penguins made five additional selections. Beyond Markus Ruck, they drafted defenseman Tomas Galvas (2nd round, 54th overall), forward Pierce Mbuyi (3rd round, 86th overall), defenseman Parker Von Richter (4th round, 111th overall), and goaltender Matvei Nikonovich (5th round, 160th overall).
Tomas Galvas, a defenseman, recorded eight goals, 16 assists, and 24 points in 32 games with Bílí Tygři Liberec of Czechia this season, adding one assist in seven playoff games. The Zlín, Czechia native has played parts of four seasons in Czechia with Bílí Tygři Liberec and HC Olomouc, skating in 113 career games with 42 points. He represented his home country at the 2026 World Junior Championship, tallying nine points in seven games en route to a silver medal and being named to the World Junior Championship All-Star Team. Galvas also recorded one assist in eight games with Team Czechia at the 2026 World Championship and won bronze medals at the 2023 and 2024 World Junior Championships with Team Czechia.
Pierce Mbuyi, a forward, recorded 32 goals, 43 assists, and 75 points in 68 games, serving as an alternate captain for Owen Sound in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). In his first two junior seasons, the Mississauga, Ontario native compiled 127 points in 131 career games, all with Owen Sound. The 2025 OHL Rookie of the Year was named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team and CHL All-Rookie Team after recording the most goals and points by a first-year player in the OHL in 2024-25. Mbuyi also won a bronze medal at the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup with Team Canada, playing in four games and tallying one assist. He is committed to Penn State University for the 2026-27 season.
The Penguins acquired the 111th overall pick to select Parker Von Richter from the Boston Bruins in exchange for the 170th overall pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick originally belonging to Winnipeg. Von Richter, a defenseman, split the OHL season between the Brampton Steelheads and Barrie Colts, recording 12 goals, 37 assists, and 49 points in 66 games last season, along with 14 points in 21 playoff games with Barrie. The Mississauga, Ontario native has played in parts of four seasons in the OHL, split between Brampton and Barrie, where he tallied 119 points in 259 career games. He is committed to the University of New Hampshire for the 2026-27 season.
The Penguins selected goaltender Matvei Nikonovich after acquiring the 160th overall pick from the Nashville Predators in exchange for the Penguins’ fifth-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft. Nikonovich spent the season with Ladia Togliatti in the MHL in Russia, where he went 20-14-4 in 38 games last season with a 1.96 goals-against average, a .939 save percentage, and two shutouts. His save percentage ranked third in the MHL. In parts of two seasons in the MHL, Nikonovich has a 22-16-4 record in 45 career games with a .935 save percentage, a 2.06 goals-against average, and three shutouts.
The selections were made by President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas and the Penguins’ scouting staff at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.
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Source: nhl.com
