CRANBERRY TWP. — The source was a little one-sided.
Of course, for anyone who has seen the on-ice chemistry between twins Liam and Markus Ruck, even the memes, and the interviews in which they seem telepathically connected, their singular answers Monday at camp should not be a surprise.
As the Pittsburgh Penguins began the 2026 Development Camp, they did so with more of a blue-collar roster than last year’s camp, with three first-round picks. Instead, this year, the Penguins have twins who are grabbing the headlines with big smiles and a togetherness superceding most siblings.
In a move designed to see what each player offers the organization, the Penguins separated the duo in camp. Liam Ruck is on Team Murphy, while Markus Ruck is on Team Barasso, which means that the pair will play against each other for the first time in a couple of years.
However, there is one important question. PHN asked them, “How can we tell you apart?”
“Our friends say our hair, our smile, and our nose,” Liam said.
And if you’ve been paying attention, you might have a good guess as to how Markus answered an hour later.
“Our buddies say our hair, our smile, and our nose,” Markus said.
Indeed, if you are ever so perceptive, there is a slight difference. Liam has a slightly larger smile, and Markus has slightly larger hair. But no, it is not easy. In fact, their mother avoided confusion by painting one of their toenails when the boys were infants.
And they had the usual fun as twins when one April Fool’s Day, they switched places in school, but in keeping with their seemingly good nature, they only did so for half the day, until lunch.
The first day of camp is generally a mundane affair with a lot of rudimentary skating drills and not much actual hockey, so getting a sense of the 18-year-old prospects will have to wait. Still, it is interesting that Liam scored 45 goals in 68 games, while Markus had only 21 goals but 87 assists.
“It’s just the way it worked out. We don’t tell each other, hey, you score, hey, you pass, it just kind of unfolds that way,” said Markus. “I think that’s how we score most of our goals. So we continue to do that.”
Yes, he referred to them as “our” goals.
Penguins director of player development Tom Kostopoulos can tell them apart, at least on the ice.
“Yeah, I think you know if you talk about the Ruck Brothers individually, I think Liam can get up and down on the ice a little bit quicker. He’s got some speed, he’s got some separation speed, (now it’s) just building the strength,” Kostopoulos said. “I think (Liam)’s got a tremendous shot. He’s able to find space in the ozone and finish plays and score goals. I think as the strength and power come, his skating will get even better.
“Markus, from what I’ve seen, is an incredible playmaker. Really intelligent out there. He probably needs a little more work in the skating department, and as he builds the strength and works on the technique of skating. I think his game will really come along–just to add that separation speed and be able to get to areas and win a few more races.”
Charlie Tretheway
Very much in the shadows of the Penguins’ 2025 first-round picks, 2025 third-rounder Charlie Tretheway is progressing in his hockey career. After his time at the US National Team Development Program, he began matriculating at Boston University under coach Jay Pandolfo.
Tretheway, 18, is from Maryland, but played his AAA hockey from 13 to 15 years old with the Penguins Elite at the UPMC Lemieux Complex. As he bounded out of the locker room, heading to the team hotel with teammates, he called out to the long-time barista by name.
It’s fair to say he knows his way around the area. He’s also finding his way around Boston and the weight room. Kostopoulos was impressed with Tretheway after Day 1.
“I think it was a very learning sort of rookie season for him in college hockey. (We’re) really happy with what he’s done so far in the summer, and he looks great out here. Just watching him in Day One, he looks strong,” said Kostopoulos. “He looks like he’s committed to defending. Our D coaches and D development coaches did a good job of putting the guys through some D zone-closing on the first day of development camp. It’s probably not ideal for the players, but we wanted them to know it’s important to us.
“And Charlie might have stood out there among one of the guys who took it to heart, and he understands he’s going to have to defend hard to keep growing his game and climbing the ranks, and I thought he looked strong.”
It can be a canyon-sized jump from junior hockey to college. Last season, it tripped up 2026 first overall pick Gavin McKenna and potential first-overall Keaton Verhoeff, who fell out of the top-five of the 2026 NHL Draft. Yet as PHN chatted with Tretheway, we also noticed a physically mature player who had made the most of the Boston U facilities, while avoiding some of the pitfalls of dorm life that trip up many college freshmen. He currently checks in at 6-foot-2, 201 pounds.
A solid 201.
“Yeah, I think (college) was definitely a challenge. It wasn’t as hard (for me) as some of the other juniors, because at the (US) program we played college teams in exhibition games during the season, so I kind of had a little taste of it,” said Tretheway. “But I mean, it’s just going from a league where you’re playing juniors guys who are only at the oldest 21, to a league that guy are as old as 25. So, yeah, they’re a lot more mature and a lot stronger, so you have to adapt to the more physical, stronger guys.”
With Boston, the right-handed defenseman took his lumps but posted 10 points in 34 games, though he had just one goal. Based on Kostopoulos’s analysis and the statistical relay, it seems the Penguins view him as a blue liner whose offense will come from a good first pass and taking care of his own zone.
The Penguins have invested time and resources into Tretheway. Former Penguins defenseman and special assistant to the GM, Trevor Daley, made a couple of trips to Boston for Tretheway. The pair had lunch, and Daley remained engaged with the young defenseman, who liked his first taste of college hockey.
“I feel like the adjustment to the play, coming from playing juniors into college, I felt like college was a lot faster, so I’m kind of used to a faster pace, and playing against bigger guys–it has really helped me a lot. I would say (my biggest improvement) is having a year under my belt, and that definitely helped.”
Notes
**2025 first-round pick Will Horcoff is present for the camp but will not participate in on-ice drills. He was injured during the season, but Kostopoulos said he is not ready for contact.
**2025 first-round pick Bill Zonnon and other Wilkes-Barre/Scranton players who may otherwise be in a development camp are not present because of the WBS Penguins’ playoff run. Kostopoulos felt Zonnon had played enough hockey after a season in the QMJHL, 17 playoff games in the Q, and another 11 playoff games with WBS.
Tags: Charlie Tretheway Liam Ruck Markus Ruck Penguins Prospects Pittsburgh Penguins
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