Penguins' 2026 second-rounder Markus Ruck is looking forward to his developmental journey with the Penguins.
It's no surprise that ever since twins Liam and Markus Ruck were selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2026 NHL Draft, they've been inseparable - both literally and figuratively, in person and in print.
But starting now, their developmental journey will begin to differentiate even the smallest bit.
Both Rucks were invited to NHL training camp and, subsequently, had the opportunity to play on the same line in Pittsburgh's second pre-season game, which came against the Detroit Red Wings Tuesday.
Even though both still plan to play together for Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL - barring they don't make the NHL roster and sign entry-level contracts - next season and then head to the University of North Dakota in 2027-28, Markus is excited to tap into who he is as an all-around player even more, both in tandem with Liam and individually.
And that includes unleashing his shot more.
"For sure. I want to be an all-around player that can do whatever," Markus said. "I don't just want to be known as a passer because guys will start picking those off and reading the pass. So, I'm definitely working on that, and I want to be able to do both."
Of course, he is referring to his reputation as a playmaker, while Liam has developed a reputation as the shooter. As a tandem for Medicine Hat last season, they were first and second in WHL scoring, with Markus posting 21 goals and 108 points to Liam's 45 goals and 104 points.
Markus has a shot that can pop, too, and he plans to use it more as he develops. But, in general, he also wants to continue developing his all-around game, which he believes presents the best path to becoming an effective player at higher levels of hockey.
"That's always really important for me," Markus said. "Just the little details, not cheating the game at all. There will be times where, you know, higher-point guys in leagues will cheat the game a bit, and I definitely want to focus on not doing that and just playing the right way."
And training camp has provided an excellent opportunity for him to hone some of those skills. He has been on Team 3 - the prospect group - for the duration of camp, and he earned an opportunity to suit up in that pre-season game with his brother due to some of those details he showcased within his game. He mentioned that the coaching staff has been very helpful in helping him learn the nuances of the NHL game that aren't necessarily present in lower levels.
In general, there are few better places to learn some of those details than Pittsburgh, too - whether on-ice or off-ice details - considering the NHL veteran players he is sharing the ice and the locker room with during training camp in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson.
"It's really cool seeing those guys in person," Markus said. "Those are the guys that I grew up watching and idolizing. Seeing them around the rink and what they do to take care of their body or how they eat, I'm trying to pick up things like that because they're, obviously, some of the best to ever do it."
He added: "It's unbelievable. There's tons of great players out here and so many staff members that are willing to help out. It's really cool, it's something that I've always dreamed of, to be in this situation. So, I've been having lots of fun and learning a lot."
Both Markus and Liam join a crop of Penguins' prospects who both fans and the organization have high hopes for. There is a lot of belief that the prospects currently developing can help usher in a new wave of talent - and winning - for the NHL club beyond the years of Crosby.
And Markus is excited to be included as part of it all.
"There's tons of great young players here, and the staff, the organization, has done a great job of bringing in lots of great players and good people, too," he said. "It's exciting, and going forward, I think the future is bright here.
"I'm excited to be a part of it, and I've been working towards it every day to, hopefully, help his team win in the future."
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