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As a service to readers and posterity, the following is an accumulation of all of the PHN stories for each of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ draft picks, beginning with first-rounder Liam Ruck and his twin brother, the Penguins’ second-round pick, Markus Ruck. The stories continue through their final pick, goalie Matvei Nikonovich, in the fifth round.
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Round One: Liam Ruck
As big names were traded, players who would have neatly fit into the Pittsburgh Penguins‘ DNA were taken off the board ahead of slot. The opportunities to trade up did not fit general manager Kyle Dubas’s budget, and despite a flurry of reports that the Penguins were active, they stood pat with the 22nd overall selection.
The Penguins didn’t take the full allotment of time when they selected Liam Ruck of the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL. Interestingly, the top Penguins pick in each of the last five drafts has come from the WHL.
Ruck, 18, is a high-scoring winger with some of the best finishing ability in the draft. Last season, he played with first-overall pick Gavin McKenna, but this season, he took a greater role both in the offensive and defensive zones.
The right-shot winger filled the net with an impressive 45 goals and 104 points in 68 games. He also had eight goals in 14 playoff games.
In Medicine Hat, Ruck played with his twin brother Markus, who is projected to go early in the second round. Interestingly, the Penguins also have pick No. 39. According to the NHL broadcast and confirmed by Ruck, the brothers have not spent more than four days apart.
“We’re obviously pretty close brothers. We go through everything together,” Ruck said. “And because he deserves it, I get to compete with that guy every day. We’ve got a special bond, and if he’s taken by the Penguins or another organization, I’m proud of him. We’ll still be friends and stuff, but for me, just being selected by this team, it’s definitely a huge honor.”
The winger has adequate size (6-foot, 178 pounds) and projects on the right wing with a quick release and hard shot.
“I want to be a little more explosive with my skating. That’s a big one for me, and it’s going to come with strength,” Ruck said. “For me, the off-ice stuff is as important as the on-ice stuff right now. Get stronger, get heavier. The chance to work with the staff in Pittsburgh is going to be a good fit.”
Penguins amateur scout Dan McLean has been integral to the Penguins’ recent draft efforts. Ruck was the fifth straight top Penguins pick to come from the WHL, a streak beginning with Owen Pickering in 2022, continuing with Brayden Yager in 2023, Harrison Brunicke and Tanner Howe in 2024, and Ben Kindel in 2025.
McLean had a couple of contacts with Ruck through the year, and the player spent time with the entire Penguins staff at the NHL Scouting Combine in early June. At the Combine, the Penguins staff is known for showing players clips of their mistakes to get their reaction.
Ruck and his brother are slated to attend the University of North Dakota in 2027-28, but because Liam Ruck is a first-round pick, he would be eligible to play in the AHL in 2027-28, if he signs an entry-level contract.
Round 2 (39th Overall): Markus Ruck
The Pittsburgh Penguins got what they wanted.
Friday night was life-changing for Pittsburgh Penguins’ first-round pick Liam Ruck of the Medicine Hat Tigers. The organization selected him with the 22nd overall pick. Saturday morning was life-changing for his identical twin brother Markus Ruck as the Penguins used the first of their second-round picks to select him.
And the twins and teammates in Medicine Hat, who have spent only four days apart in their first 18 years, got what they wanted, too. They’re both Pittsburgh Penguins.
Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas told reporters Friday night, following the conclusion of Round One, that it appeared more likely in the days leading to the draft that the team would not be able to trade up and that Liam Ruck would be available to them.
There were credible rumors emanating from the league side that some teams considered taking Markus to spur trade talks with the Penguins, but eventually, the other half of the WHL’s high-scoring duo was available Saturday morning with the 39th overall pick.
While Liam had 45 goals and 104 points in 68 games, Markus was the slick playmaking center who kept him fed. Markus Ruck had 108 points with 87 assists. Both brothers need to both add bulk but also improve their skating, which scouts consider a weakness.
Liam is the slightly larger twin, at 6-foot, 177 pounds. Markus weighs in at 6-foot, 167 pounds.
Round 2 (54th Overall): Tomas Calvas
In the last two NHL Drafts, teams passed on undersized Czech defenseman Tomas Galvas. After a couple of years, the Pittsburgh Penguins snagged the 20-year-old left-handed defenseman with their second pick of the second round (54th overall).
While some draft books showed Galvas at 5-foot-10, 148 pounds, it seems those measurements were his original tape. Updated books show that Galvas is up to 168 pounds.
Elite Prospects and scouting reports describe him as a defenseman who is good in transition with high-end speed, but also agility and offensive instincts. He made a mark at the 2026 World Junior Championships, helping Czechia to a silver medal. Galvas posted nine points (3-6-9) in seven games.
With Bílí Tygři Liberec of the Czech league, the zippy defender had 24 points (8-16-24) in 32 games.
He was not present at the NHL Draft.
Round 3: Pierce Mbuyi
Size didn’t matter to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the 2026 NHL Draft.
After selecting the Ruck twins in Rounds One and Two, both of whom weigh in under 180 pounds, and Czech defenseman Tomas Galvas, who is under 170 pounds, the Penguins used their third-rounder (86th overall) on left-winger Pierce Mbuyi from Owen Sound of the OHL.
Mbuyi, 18, has not lacked for goals in his first two OHL seasons and was named the team captain toward the end of the season. In his rookie campaign, the dynamic LW had 29 goals and 53 points in 63 games. Last season, Mbuyi had 32 goals and 75 points in 68 games.
Mbuyi will play one more season at Owen Sound and then attend Penn State in 2027-28.
Scouts like his compete and energy level, and those attributes played a role in his 85 penalty minutes last season. His hands stand out, as well.
Pending trades, the Penguins do not select again until Round Six.
Round 4: Parker Von Richter
Like Tomas Galvas, the second of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ second-round picks, right-handed defenseman Parker Von Richter was passed over in both the 2024 and 2025 NHL Drafts, but he finally found a team ready to call his name Saturday in the 2026 NHL Draft.
The Penguins traded up into the fourth round and selected von Richter, 20, from the Barrie Colts with the 111th overall pick. The defenseman is easily the largest player of the Penguins’ draft class, measuring 6-foot-1, 205 pounds.
Von Richter will attend the University of New Hampshire in the fall, so the Penguins will have another four years to evaluate Von Richter as he matriculates at the traditional hockey power.
Scouts liked his emerging all-around game, a differentiation from his earlier scouting reports when he was to be an offensive defenseman. Last season, which he split between the Brampton Steelheads and Barrie, Von Richter posted 12 goals and 37 assists in 66 games. He also had 14 points (2-12-14) in 21 playoff games.
The Penguins acquired the 111th overall pick from the Boston Bruins in exchange for the 170th overall pick (sixth round) and a 2027 fourth-round pick (Winnipeg).
Round 5: Matvei Nikonovich
The Pittsburgh Penguins had long ago traded away picks in the fourth or fifth rounds at the 2026 NHL Draft, but traded back into each round Saturday. In the fifth round, the Penguins traded up to select Belarusian goalie Matvei Nikonovich from the Ladia Togliatti of the MHL.
Nikonovich will turn 18 on Sunday, one day after his selection. The Penguins traded their 2028 fifth-round pick to the Nashville Predators in exchange for the 160th overall pick (fifth round).
“He was essentially a red-star player by (Director of goaltending) Jon Elkin,” said Penguins vice president of player personnel Wes Clark. “He was high on (Elkin’s) board, and we knew there was a chance he’d be available late.”
Nikonovich has better than average size at 6-foot-2, 187 pounds. In 38 regular-season games in the MHL, he posted an impressive .939 save percentage and 1.96 goals against average. However, he was lit up in a pair of playoff games, posting a GAA over 10 and a .750 save percentage.
Tags: 2026 NHL draft Penguins draft picks
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