Making his debut on the Top 25 Under 25 lists this year, the Penguins’ 2026 first round pick Liam Ruck checks in at number seven with a lot of hype and excitement for what could be a very bright future.
Pensburgh Top 25 Under 25: Graduates and Departed players in 2025
Top 25 Under 25: The best of the rest
#25: Chase Pietila
#24: Ryan Miller
#23: Finn Harding
#22: Peyton Kettles
#21: Zam Plante
#21: Brady Peddle
#20: Melvin Fernstrom
#19: Tanner Howe
#18: Tomas Galvas
#17: Pierce Mbuyi
#16: Jake Livanavage
#15: Owen Pickering
#14: Tristan Broz
#13: Avery Hayes
#12: Ville Koivunen
#11: Hendrix Lapierre
#10: Markus Ruck
#9: Mikhail Ilyin
#8: Joel Blomqvist
#7: Liam Ruck, RW
2025 Ranking: n/a
Age: 18(February 21, 2008)
Acquired Via: 2026 NHL Draft, 1st round, 22nd overall
Height/Weight: 6’0”, 177 pounds
The Penguins’ 2026 draft will likely be looked back on with a huge influence on what happens in the future with Liam and Markus Ruck. Liam, the right handed version of the ‘mirror’ twins, finished second in the WHL in scoring in 2025-26. Markus, a leftie, led the WHL in scoring. They mirrored in the NHL draft, Markus was drafted in the second round, Liam went 17 picks earlier in the first round, both getting their names called by the Penguins.
It pretty much goes without saying that the two brothers have other-worldly chemistry developed over their first 18 years spent together and it shows up often on the hockey rink. The amount of plays they can make between one another, feeding the puck and drawing their opponents away is something special.
There is, of course, a blueprint for success in the NHL with twin magic. Daniel and Henrik Sedin were staples in Vancouver from 2000-18. It’s a little too soon to compare the Rucks to the Sedins beyond the obvious, considering the Sedin boys were a notch above – drafted second and third overall in 1999 and then quickly into the NHL. That won’t be the case for the Rucks with the absolute elite pedigree (Liam lasted until the 39th pick in his draft) and their timeline will be different – the Rucks are planning on staying in the WHL in their draft+1 and then both are committed to the University of North Dakota in 2027-28. Both Sedin’s also won an NHL Art Ross scoring title, which clearly only a handful of the very best players ever do.
There is enough commonalties to tie them together. Liam, is more the Daniel version as more of the pure goal scorer between the two twins. Brother Markus is more of the Henrik of the equation as the natural setup player that racks up assists.
Although clearly obviously to split and isolate on just one twin at a time, today’s profile is on Liam, the first round pick. In addition to the twin chemistry bonus added along the way, Liam is known for his elite shot, overall gifted intelligence in the offensive zone for reading plays and creating them and a strong competitive drive. He’s a slick, dynamic player that has the shooting release to score frequently. There’s a certain clinical element to his game, as can be seen in the highlights. The puck often isn’t on his stick very long before he snaps it into the net and is no stranger from working his way close to generate great chances.
“I think I’m pretty good with kind of getting into those holes to get into a scoring area, and when you’re playing with good playmakers, they’re going to find you, and I think I found that,” Ruck said on draft night. “I don’t think my shot is the (hardest) yet, but I think it’s knowing that it’s something I can work on, and once it gets a little harder, I think it’ll be even more deadly.”
The metrics for what will need to improve and develop are standard for most freshly drafted 18 years old. Ruck is only 174 pounds, he’s not the best or swiftest skater on the ice. Adding strength and continuing to grow into a pro-level skater will be paramount items to work on, as it is for just about everyone in his peer class. It’s the slow growth of morphing into an adult body and becoming capable of competing at the top level against fully grown men that can’t be rushed.
The education has already begun at 2026 prospect development camp.
“I’m learning so much on and off the ice,” Ruck said in July. “Like eating habits, what to eat, supplements to take, how to put on good weight. But also learning little details on the ice from the skating and skills coaches. Everyone here, there’s a great support staff, and I’m trying to remember everything they give me, because it’s a lot [laughs], but it’s so helpful.”
The Penguins bolstered the change by splitting up Markus and Liam on different summer camp teams.
“It’s really neat. It’s interesting. I’m learning while getting to know them, but the whole organization is really excited. The way it played out in the draft was really cool to watch,” said Tom Kostopoulos, Penguins Director of Player Development. “But they are different individuals, so I think we also got to talk about them and understand that in camp here, we’re trying to separate them a little bit on different teams and stuff, just so they get to know some more of the players and staff and that.”
As to be expected for a player the Penguins selected in the first round, it’s all positive right now.
“It’s not just the talent,” GM Kyle Dubas said on draft night about Liam. “It’s the talent plus the enthusiasm and the intelligence and how much he loves playing and contributing to a contending team and playing well in the playoffs for them. So, it was a number of different things that just made him what we felt was a great fit as a Pittsburgh Penguin.”
“I want to be a little more explosive with my skating,” Ruck said. “For me, just the off-ice stuff is more important than the on-ice stuff right now. I think knowing that it’s important, and getting the chance to work with staff in Pittsburgh, I think it’s going to be a good fit.”
The Pens are counting on that for the future the Rucks will be a big part of it.
