Which teams could take both Liam and Markus Ruck in 2026 NHL Draft?
Dare to dream about a repeat of the 1999 NHL Draft.
No, we aren’t talking about Patrik Stefan. That isn’t a fun subject for anyone. The 1999 NHL Draft is best remembered for Vancouver Canucks GM Brian Burke pulling off a trade flurry that allowed him to select identical twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin back to back at No. 2 and No. 3 overall. Holding pick No. 3, Burke dealt Bryan McCabe and a 2000 first-rounder to the Chicago Blackhawks for 1999’s No. 4 overall pick, then traded that one with two third-round picks to the Tampa Bay Lightning for the first overall pick, then traded down for Atlanta’s second overall pick.
The Sedins went on to Hall of Fame careers, with Henrik winning the 2009-10 Hart Trophy as league MVP, both brothers winning a scoring title and the Canucks coming to within a single victory of a Stanley Cup in 2010-11.
Flash forward to the 2026 NHL Draft. Brothers Liam and Markus Ruck don’t project to be prodigious talents on the Sedins’ level, but the Rucks are highly skilled forwards who rate as probable first-rounders. Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis slots Liam 16th and Markus 24th in our most recent draft rankings. Liam, the Daniel Sedin equivalent, is the triggerman, the goal-scorer with the dangerous shot, and Markus, the Henrik Sedin facsimile, is a hardworking playmaker.
Like the Sedins, the Ruck twins have grown up playing as linemates and have hive-mind chemistry. They arguably would both become more effective NHLers if drafted as a duo.
Can a team out there pull off a Burke-level heist and select both brothers June 26 in Buffalo? It’s difficult to predict a wild trade tree like the one Vancouver executed in ’99, but we can identify a few asset-rich clubs well positioned to take runs at the Rucks.
Keep an eye on these franchises as possible homes for both brothers.
Calgary Flames
The Flames’ No. 6 overall pick is too high to use on a Ruck brother. But they also have the 30th overall pick, not to mention four second-round picks in this draft class. If the Flames wanted to energize their pipeline with the brothers, they could cobble together a few second-rounders as part of a package to move up and pick three times in the first round. They could choose one of the many well-rounded D-men available in the No. 6 range, then double up on Rucks.
New York Rangers
The Rangers are caught between a contention window and a rebuild. Whatever their identity is, they need to infuse their roster with high-end young talent. Similarly to Calgary, the Rangers seem like a decent bet to take a blueliner with the No. 5 overall pick; Steven Ellis’ latest mock draft has the Blueshirts grabbing Keaton Verhoeff. But the Rangers have another first-rounder at 26th overall, plus a second-rounder and four third-rounders. If they could muscle their way into the range to land both Rucks, they’d jumpstart a forward pipeline that already added Liam Greentree this season in the Artemi Panarin trade.
St. Louis Blues
No team is better positioned for a Ruckfest than St. Louis. Already holding the 11th overall and 15th overall selection, they own two selections in the range that would permit them to take the brothers without having to trade up. They might even have leeway to trade down before taking the second brother. Better yet, incumbent GM Doug Armstrong and incoming GM Alex Steen have another first-rounder at 29th overall, meaning the Ruck decision might feel like less of a gamble given they can take another blue-chipper in the top 32.
Vancouver Canucks
Could the Canucks recapture that Sedin magic? The third overall pick is obviously way too early to use on a Ruck. But Vancouver holds pick 24 and, just as importantly, picks 33 and 41 of the second. If one Ruck fell to 24th, could they use the two seconds to move up and grab the next one? They could also split the two second rounders and use No. 41 to trade up and move higher than the No. 24 pick to snag Liam and then hope Markus is there at 33.
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