‘It’s something we’ve always dreamed of’: Identical twins Liam and Markus Ruck make NHL preseason debuts with Penguins, play on same line

The NHL got its first look at its newest pair of brothers Tuesday night.

Identical twins, Markus Ruck and Liam Ruck, made their NHL preseason debuts together, suiting up for the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Detroit Red Wings.

The twins skated on the same line in Pittsburgh’s 7-4 loss.

“It’s a special one for sure,” Liam said before the game, per NHL.com’s Wes Crosby. “It’s definitely going to be one to remember, putting on an NHL jersey with my brother.”

“It’s going to be unreal,” Markus added. “It’s something we’ve always dreamed of.”

The pair’s innate chemistry was immediately apparent, as they connected to assist on a Rutger McGroarty goal in the dying minutes of the game.

Rutger McGroarty goal assisted by the Ruck twins

Liam finished the night with two points, both assists, in 12:58 of ice time, while Markus had one point and a game-high four shots in 10:03 TOI. Both twins finished a plus-2.

Speaking together after the game, Liam said it was “cool… being out there with the guys,” per DK Pittsburgh Sports. “Just seeing how all the pros do it, I think there’s a lot of great players in this room.”

Notably, the Rucks also shared the ice with another famous hockey duo, one that nearly rivals their own 18 years together: Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, whose partnership in Pittsburgh began 20 years ago.

“[T]hey’re some of the best to ever do it,” Markus said after the game. “It’s honestly crazy.”

The Ruck twins were both selected by the Penguins in the 2026 NHL Draft at Buffalo’s Keybank Center, with Liam going at 22nd overall and Markus at 39th, helping fulfill their dream of staying together in the league.

Crosby congratulated the pair after they heard their names called in Buffalo.

“Your family must be happy,” Crosby said to the geeking-out Canadian brothers. “I just wanted to call and say hi and welcome (you), and I’ll see you at main camp. Congratulations, guys.”

Like most identical twins, Liam and Markus are around each other quite a lot.

“I think the longest I’ve spent without him was four days,” Markus said at this year’s CHL awards, where he claimed the league’s top scorer award — Liam was second. “We’ve pretty much spent every day of our lives together.”

Liam specified that the extended absence has only happened “once or twice,” though.

Leading up to the draft, the mirror twins (who look the same but display opposite, mirrored physical characteristics) made their desire to land on the same squad known, highlighting their connection as one of their strengths, with Markus saying they are “quite a bit” better together in a TSN interview.

“We’ve spent a lot of time together and had a lot of practice together. We watch a lot of video together at home. I think that helps a lot,” Markus continued. “We spent 18 years of our life together and barely been apart.

“I think we are better together.”

This was clearly evident during Penguins rookie camp earlier in the month, when the team participated in the Prospect Tournament at the BELFOR Training Center in Detroit. The Rucks found each other on the ice with a little-look pass for a goal off Liam’s stick.

The Rucks have played together at nearly every stage of their lives, from basement mini sticks to Okanagan HA Prep and, most recently, the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers. They have spent the last three seasons with the Tigers and are gearing up for their fourth.

This season, their younger brother Landon joined in the fun, completing the full Ruck line in a Medicine Hat preseason game.

Liam recorded a hat trick in that game. Markus assisted two of the goals, and the final goal was an unassisted empty-netter. Markus also scored a goal of his own, assisted by Landon (his only point of the game).

The trio of brothers has been grabbing lots of attention this offseason for their family connection on the ice, showing off their chemistry with a triple-Ruck goal during a training camp scrimmage in late August.

As they prepare for the season and become figures in the Pittsburgh community, they continue to build their brand as a package deal. The first- and second-round picks teamed up shortly after the draft to send out a double first pitch at a Pittsburgh Pirates game.

The team has leaned into the situation, letting the two stay side by side through the process and calling them a “bonded pair.”

Once their time in training camp ends, the Rucks will return to junior, where, according to The Ringer, they hope they’ll become the seventh pair of twins in NHL history to play a regular-season game someday.

Twins who have played in the NHL

If they’re successful, we’ll keep getting gems like the recreation of their pointing Spider-Man meme on social media.