‘I Was Pretty Stressed’: The Wild Story of the Ruck Twins and How the NHL Draft Made Their Dream Real
Holy moly, hockey fans! The NHL Draft just gave us a story that’s going to live rent-free in our heads for years. We all watch these drafts, hoping our teams find that next superstar, but sometimes, the league delivers pure, unadulterated human drama. And Friday night, that’s exactly what happened when the Pittsburgh Penguins kicked off one of the most incredible feel-good stories of the draft by keeping twin brothers Markus and Liam Ruck together. Seriously, from our corner of the Emerald City, watching this unfold was absolutely electric!The Unbearable Wait for a Brother's Call
Imagine the scene: Liam Ruck, a phenom forward, gets scooped up by Pittsburgh as the 22nd pick in the first round. Ecstasy, right? But for his twin brother, Markus, who’s older by a whole eight minutes, that elation was tangled with some serious anxiety. Liam's name was called, but Markus was still waiting when the family headed back to the hotel. Talk about stress! Markus admitted, "I was pretty stressed." He had to wonder, would another team snag him on Saturday? Or would the Penguins make the move at No. 39, or even trade up, to keep the dynamic duo together? Liam, the good brother, told him, “everything’s gonna be OK and will work itself out.” Man, that's what hockey brotherhood is all about.A Dream Scored: Pittsburgh Delivers the Ruck Reunion
Well, Liam's words proved prophetic! On Saturday, Pittsburgh pulled the trigger, taking Markus Ruck with the seventh pick in the second round, the 39th overall. The dream, shared by these Osoyoos, B.C., products since they first laced up their skates, became a reality! "I was just praying and hoping," Markus said. "To have that happen, there’s not many words to describe it.Trade on Every Game with Kalshi
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It’s so special." These 18-year-old forwards, who haven't spent more than four days apart their entire lives, are coming off insane seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers, finishing 1-2 in scoring across the entire Canadian Hockey League. Markus, the playmaking center, absolutely piled up 108 points (21 goals, 87 assists), while Liam, the shooter on the wing, racked up 104 points (45 goals, 59 assists). Liam had said after his pick, "It’s a special bond we’ve got. I’m just going to be just as happy to see him get drafted, because we’ve been through everything together. It was a special hug." You can't write this stuff!League-Wide Shakes and What's Next for the Brothers
While all eyes were on the Ruck twins, the rest of the draft still brought its share of drama. The Vancouver Canucks opened the second round by taking Brooks Rogowski at No. 33. The Calgary Flames grabbed Chase Harrington at No. 36 before snagging Joe Iginla, son of legend Jarome Iginla, with the 65th pick to kick off the third round. Toronto, who took Gavin McKenna at No. 1 on Friday, also dealt blueliner Brandon Carlo to the St. Louis Blues for a pair of 2026 third-rounders. And get this: the Vegas Golden Knights were docked their second-round pick due to "flagrant violations" of media regulations during the playoffs. Oof. But back to the main event: Markus summed up his relief perfectly, saying, "I didn’t really care when (Pittsburgh) picked me. I knew where I wanted to go and who I wanted to be with." The Ruck brothers are slated to play one more Western Hockey League season in Alberta before heading to the University of North Dakota in 2027-28. We're talking about pure talent and an incredible bond. You better believe us Seattle fans will be keeping an eye on these two as they chase their NHL dreams. It's going to be a blast to watch them develop!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.