The Capitals own the No. 16 and No. 18 picks. Could they choose to take a set of identical twins in Liam and Markus Ruck?
The Washington Capitals enter the 2026 NHL Draft with two first-rounders almost back-to-back, as they possess the No. 16 and No. 18 overall picks.
There are several names to ponder, and the rankings are changing as June gets closer. That being said, is there a chance that D.C. has its eyes on a pair of identical twins?
Liam and Markus Ruck are both rising in the rankings, and ultimately, could be names to watch going into the first round.
Both Liam and Markus dominated the WHL this past season with the Medicine Hat Tigers, putting themselves in the spotlight as a promising dynamic duo while helping fill the void left by Gavin McKenna, who went to Penn State.
Markus led the entire league with 21 goals and 87 assists for 108 points, and Liam finished four points behind him for second place with 45 goals and 59 assists. Both had outstanding chemistry and rose to prominence after stellar showing sin the latter half of the year.
Of the two, Liam has the better ranking; NHL central scouting has him listed as the No. 20 North American skater, though other publications and outlets have him sitting higher. Markus is No. 23.
Liam is a right wing, and loves to shoot the puck and get to the high-danger areas. He has a great net-front presence and a wicked shot, and he doesn't shy away from creating offense.
Markus, meanwhile, is a playmaking center who works hard and gets the puck to the right areas. He has good vision, thinks the game quickly and can control the tempo when he's on the ice.
Together, the twins, much like Henrik and Daniel Sedin, read off each other incredibly well and are a lethal combination on the ice. They project to be solid middle-6 producers who can provide offense and are capable.
They do have to continue to work on their skating, though, and also add some size and play a bit more physically.
Though both were initially on track to go in the late first round, they've been getting a lot of attention from scouts, and their impressive years and promise could have them going higher.
Enter Washington, who is no stranger to taking siblings having drafted Aliaksei and Ilya Protas and have both Dylan and Matthew Strome in the organization.
The No. 16 and No. 18 picks are also close enough together that D.C. could likely pick up both without having to worry about not being able to get them together, or the Capitals could work some trade magic if they want to.