Sportsvival has been covering the Penguins’ push toward the next wave of talent, and the 2026 NHL Draft gave Pittsburgh fans plenty to talk about. This was not just another draft class. This was a draft class with a headline. The Penguins walked away with six prospects, but the story of the weekend was simple: Pittsburgh grabbed both Ruck twins. Liam Ruck came first in Round 1, then Markus Ruck followed in Round 2, giving the Penguins a built-in connection, chemistry and storyline that will follow this organization for years. Pittsburgh added skill up front, movement on the blue line and a goalie with upside, but everything starts with the Ruck brothers.
Liam Ruck, RW, Medicine Hat, Round 1, Pick 22
The Penguins started their draft by selecting Liam Ruck, a right winger from Medicine Hat in the WHL. Ruck is the goal scorer of the twin duo, and Pittsburgh clearly liked his ability to find space, get to scoring areas and finish plays. He posted a huge season with Medicine Hat, putting up 45 goals and 104 points in 68 games. What stands out with Liam is that he does not need the perfect play to create offense. He has a scorer’s feel, he knows where to be, and he has the kind of release that can beat goalies before they are set. The Penguins have needed more pure finishers in the system, and Liam gives them exactly that. He will need to keep building strength and explosiveness in his skating, but the hockey sense and scoring touch are real. Sportsvival sees Liam as one of the most exciting offensive prospects Pittsburgh has added in recent years.
Markus Ruck, C/LW, Medicine Hat, Round 2, Pick 39
This is where the draft became really fun for Penguins fans. After taking Liam in the first round, Pittsburgh came back and grabbed his twin brother, Markus Ruck, with the 39th overall pick. Markus is the playmaker of the two. While Liam is wired to shoot, Markus is wired to set the table. He led the WHL with 108 points and has the vision, patience and passing touch that makes everyone around him better. The fact that the Penguins were able to keep the twins together is a major swing by Kyle Dubas and the front office. These two already know how to play off each other, and that matters. There is no guessing game with their chemistry. Markus sees seams, Liam finds soft spots, and together they make plays happen. The Penguins did not just draft two talented players. They drafted a partnership.
Tomas Galvas, D, Liberec, Round 2, Pick 54
With their second pick of Round 2, the Penguins added defenseman Tomas Galvas, a 20-year-old from Czechia who brings a different look to the blue line. Galvas is not the biggest defenseman, but he is a smooth skater who can move the puck and help create offense from the back end. He put up 24 points in 32 games for Liberec and also impressed internationally at the World Juniors. This is the type of pick that tells you Pittsburgh wanted more than size. They wanted skill, mobility and someone who can think the game. Galvas has already played against older competition, so he may be a little more advanced than a typical draft-year defenseman. His path to the NHL will come down to whether his defensive game keeps growing, but the offensive tools are easy to like.
Pierce Mbuyi, LW, Owen Sound, Round 3, Pick 86
Pierce Mbuyi is the kind of player Sportsvival loves in the middle rounds. He has skill, compete and a little bit of underdog in his game. Mbuyi played for Owen Sound in the OHL and had 75 points, including 32 goals, in 68 games this past season. He is not the biggest forward, but he plays with pace and does not back away from the hard areas. Pittsburgh has done a good job in recent drafts finding smaller, skilled forwards who can drive offense, and Mbuyi fits that mold. He is also committed to Penn State, which gives him a development path that should allow him to add strength and mature physically. This is not a player who has to be rushed. Let him keep growing, let the offense develop, and the Penguins may have found a really interesting winger in the third round.
Parker Von Richter, D, Barrie, Round 4, Pick 111
Parker Von Richter gives the Penguins a bigger, stronger defenseman with some edge to his game. At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, he brings a more physical frame than Galvas, but he is not just a stay-at-home defender. Von Richter can move pucks, join the play and was productive during Barrie’s playoff run, putting up 14 points in 21 postseason games. Pittsburgh traded into position to get him, which tells you the organization saw value and wanted to make sure it landed him. He is an older prospect, so there should be more maturity in his game. Von Richter is headed to the University of New Hampshire, and that college route could be very good for his development. He gives the Penguins another defenseman with size, confidence and some offensive upside.
Matvei Nikonovich, G, Ladia Togliatti, Round 5, Pick 160
The Penguins finished their draft by taking a swing on goaltender Matvei Nikonovich in the fifth round. Goalies are always long-term projects, but this is the kind of pick that can become very interesting a few years down the road. Nikonovich posted a .939 save percentage and a 1.98 goals-against average in Russia’s MHL, which are eye-opening numbers. He is still very young and will need time, but the athletic tools are there. The Penguins do not need to rush him, and that is the right way to handle a goalie prospect. Let him develop, let him get games, and see where he is in a few seasons. In the fifth round, this is a smart upside pick.
Final Thoughts
This Penguins draft class will be remembered for the Ruck twins. Liam and Markus coming to Pittsburgh together gives the organization a rare story, but more importantly, it gives them two high-end offensive minds who already know how to play together. Liam brings the scoring. Markus brings the playmaking. Together, they bring excitement back into a Penguins prospect pool that needed more game-breaking potential. Add in Galvas as a puck-moving defenseman, Mbuyi as a skilled winger, Von Richter as a strong two-way blue liner and Nikonovich as a goalie swing, and Pittsburgh put together a draft class with personality, upside and a clear direction.
Sportsvival’s early feel: the success of this class will be judged by the Ruck twins. If Liam and Markus keep growing together, this could be one of those drafts Penguins fans look back on and say, “That was the start of something.”