The Pittsburgh Penguins have selected five players on the second day of the 2026 NHL Draft, held at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. Among the draftees was forward Markus Ruck, who joins his twin brother, Liam Ruck, in being drafted by the same team. Liam was previously selected by the Penguins with the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the draft.
Markus Ruck was chosen in the second round as the 39th overall pick. This marks the first instance of brothers being drafted by the same team since Justin Daniels and Drew Daniels were both selected by the San Jose Sharks in the 2008 NHL Draft. The Ruck brothers, originally from Osoyoos, British Columbia, had expressed their desire to play for the same team during pre-draft interviews.
Kyle Dubas, the President of Hockey Operations and General Manager for the Penguins, commented on the possibility of drafting both brothers, noting that the brothers had spent very little time apart in their lives. He indicated that if the draft board aligned, selecting both would make sense.
Markus Ruck’s Junior Career and Future Plans
Markus Ruck, a forward, played for the Medicine Hat Tigers in the WHL. During his last season, he recorded 87 assists and 108 points in 68 games, leading the WHL in assists. 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. He was also part of the 2025 WHL Champion team and has compiled 17 points in 29 career WHL playoff games.
Ruck represented Team Canada at the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he recorded four assists in five games, contributing to a bronze medal finish. He is scheduled to return to Medicine Hat for the 2026-27 season and has committed to the University of North Dakota for the 2027-28 season.
Other Penguins Selections on Day Two
In addition to Markus Ruck, the Penguins drafted four other players on day two. These selections included defenseman Tomas Galvas (second round, 54th overall), forward Pierce Mbuyi (third round, 86th overall), defenseman Parker Von Richter (fourth round, 111th overall), and goaltender Matvei Nikonovich (fifth round, 160th overall).
Tomas Galvas, a defenseman, recorded eight goals, 16 assists, and 24 points in 32 games with Bílí Tygři Liberec in Czechia this season, adding one assist in seven playoff games. He led his team’s defensemen in goals, assists, and points, and ranked fifth overall in team points. Galvas has played parts of four seasons in Czechia with Bílí Tygři Liberec and HC Olomouc, participating in 113 career games with 42 points. He represented Team Czechia at the 2026 World Junior Championship, where he tallied nine points in seven games, earning a silver medal and a spot on the World Junior Championship All-Star Team. Galvas also contributed one assist in eight games with Team Czechia at the 2026 World Championship and won bronze medals at the 2023 and 2024 World Junior Championship.
Pierce Mbuyi, a forward, served as an alternate captain for Owen Sound in the OHL this season, recording 32 goals, 43 assists, and 75 points in 68 games. In his first two junior seasons, Mbuyi has accumulated 127 points in 131 career games, all with Owen Sound. He was named the 2025 OHL Rookie of the Year and to the OHL First All-Rookie Team and CHL All-Rookie Team after leading first-year players in goals and points in the OHL in 2024-25. Mbuyi, from Mississauga, Ontario, 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 pick for defenseman 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 his OHL season between the Brampton Steelheads and Barrie Colts. He recorded 12 goals, 37 assists, and 49 points in 66 games last season, along with 14 points in 21 playoff games with Barrie. Over parts of four OHL seasons, split between Brampton and Barrie, he tallied 119 points in 259 career games. He is committed to the University of New Hampshire for the 2026-27 season.
Goaltender Matvei Nikonovich was selected after the Penguins acquired the pick from the Nashville Predators in exchange for Pittsburgh’s fifth-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft. Nikonovich spent the season with Ladia Togliatti in the MHL in Russia. He went 20-14-4 in 38 games last season, achieving 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 MHL seasons, 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.
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Source: nhl.com
Ethan Brule is a Senior Hockey Writer at CasinoNews. He covered the NHL for a national Canadian outlet. He focuses on the NHL, the Maple Leafs and Team Canada and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Sports Media from Toronto Metropolitan University. Now based in Toronto, he plays beer-league hockey and follows the junior ranks. “Hockey in Canada is never only about the score.”
