A deep dive into Medicine Hat Tigers forward Markus Ruck.
The WHL is expected to play a significant role in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. Leading up to draft day, THN's WHL team will be providing profiles on some of the top WHL talent expected to hear their names called in Buffalo at the end of June. Today's profile focuses on Medicine Hat Tigers forward Markus Ruck.
Markus Ruck
Team: Medicine Hat Tigers
Position: Left-Shot Center
NHL Central Scouting: 23rd Among NA Skaters
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 167 lbs
The playmaking half of the dynamic Ruck twins, Markus Ruck, has cemented himself as one of the elite offensive facilitators available in the 2026 NHL Draft. The 18-year-old center authored a historic sophomore campaign with the Medicine Hat Tigers, capturing the Bob Clarke Trophy as the WHL's Top Scorer with a league-leading 108 points.
Serving as the primary distributor, he racked up an incredible 87 assists in just 68 games, helping power the highest-scoring offense in the WHL. Like his brother Liam, Markus carries a strong championship pedigree, having helped the Tigers capture a WHL Championship in 2025, alongside earning a gold medal at the U17 World Challenge and a bronze at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup with Team Canada
What makes Ruck such an enticing prospect is his incredibly high hockey IQ and elite passing vision. He plays a highly tactical, give-and-go fueled game, utilizing exceptional timing to slow down the play and manipulate defensive structures.
In transition, Ruck uses strong edge work and anticipatory scanning to push the pace of the play, ensuring the puck rarely stays on his stick for long before he initiates an intricate passing sequence. His off-puck movement is just as vital to his success, as he constantly navigates the offensive zone to find open ice and make himself available for return feeds.
Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
2026 NHL Draft Profiles:
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
