A deep dive into Medicine Hat Tigers winger Liam Ruck.
The Vancouver Canucks enter the 2026 NHL Entry Draft with 10 picks. Leading up to the draft, we at The Hockey News will profile a different prospect who the Canucks could take with each of their picks. Today's prospect is Medicine Hat Tigers right winger Liam Ruck, who Vancouver could select 24th overall.
Liam is one-half of the BC-born-and-raised Ruck twins. The 18-year-old is listed at 5'11", 177 lbs and ranked 20th by NHL Central Scouting among North American skaters. During the 2025-26 season, Ruck finished with 104 points, which ranked second in the WHL and the CHL, only behind his brother Markus.
Ruck's point total is impressive for a few reasons. Not only did he beat his career high by 63 points, but he did so despite a mass exodus of talent from the Tigers' roster. Ultimately, Ruck was able to step into the shoes left behind by players like Gavin McKenna, Oasiz Wiesblatt and Ryder Ritchie and lead the Tigers to yet another Central Division title.
As for the playoffs, Ruck continued to produce with 12 points in 14 games. Of those 12 points, eight were goals, which ranked tied for sixth in the WHL. Ruck also scored Medicine Hat's only shorthanded goal of the post-season and was tied for the team lead with two game-winners.
Speaking of the playoffs, Ruck has plenty of experience playing in big games. The Tigers went to the Memorial Cup in 2025, where he ended up playing in four games during the tournament. Ruck has also represented Canada multiple times, which included winning a Gold Medal at the 2024 U17 World Challenge.
On the ice, Ruck can produce in a variety of ways. He has a scoring touch, as evidenced by his 45 goals, but can also be a playmaker, as he recorded 59 assists. Overall, Ruck has shown an ability to get pucks on net from anywhere on the ice, as he excelled at generating chances from both inside and outside the slot area.
Liam Ruck of the Medicine Hat Tigers (Photo Credit: Randy Feere/Medicine Hat Tigers/WHL)One underrated aspect of Ruck's game is his work in the defensive zone. He was often used on the penalty kill and showed an ability to win board battles at a high rate. Ruck's positioning also allowed him to close off shooting lanes and force turnovers that led to defensive zone clears.
Ruck checks a lot of boxes, not just for the organization but also among the fan base. He is a skilled forward who can play a two-way game and grew up cheering for the Canucks. If Ruck is still on the board when Vancouver picks 24th, it would be a smart move to add him, and potentially his brother later in the draft, to the organization.
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