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GRAND FORKS — The top two scorers in all of Canadian major junior hockey have committed to UND.
Liam and Markus Ruck, twin brothers who play for the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League, announced Monday they will join the Fighting Hawks for the 2027-28 season.
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Markus, a left-hander who plays center and wing, led the WHL with 108 points in 68 games. Liam, a right-hander who plays wing, finished second with 104.
Both are expected to go in the top two rounds of the 2026 NHL Draft later this week in Buffalo, N.Y.
The Ruck twins chose UND over Michigan State, Western Michigan, Quinnipiac and Maine.
It adds to a massive recruiting week for the Fighting Hawks, who landed the Herald’s No. 1-ranked American prospect for the 2027 class in Nolan Fitzhenry on Thursday.
The Ruck brothers aren’t overly big — they’re about six feet tall and 170 pounds — and don’t have blazing speed. But the way they process the game sets them apart. They’re among the smartest players in the WHL and the 2026 NHL Draft class.
Liam is a shooter. He scored 45 goals and tallied 59 assists this season.
“He has an NHL-caliber release, a really, really good shot,” an NHL scout told the Herald. “He has a quick brain for offense and playmaking. He needs to fill out. But the shot is high level.”
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Markus is more of a setup man. He had 21 goals and 87 assists.
“With his brain and playmaking, he could be on an NHL power play right now with the way he makes plays,” an NHL scout said. “His skating is just OK. It’s going to need to get better, but it’s not going to hold him or Liam back.”
Markus was recently honored as the top scorer among all three Canadian Hockey Leagues — the WHL, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Hockey League.
The Rucks helped Medicine Hat win the WHL title and reach the Memorial Cup final in 2024-25. Liam finished with 41 points, Markus with 29 that season.
Several of Medicine Hat’s top players left for the NCAA after 2024-25 — including potential No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna — moving the Rucks up the lineup. They took off, piling up more than 100 points each.
Medicine Hat was eliminated from the WHL playoffs in the Eastern Conference Finals against Prince Albert.
The Rucks were slightly under a point per game in the playoffs. Markus had 13 points in 15 games, Liam had 12 in 14.
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While most of the top WHL players are heading to the NCAA this season, the Rucks opted to spend one more year in Medicine Hat before arriving in Grand Forks.
UND has a long history of brothers playing together, but it hasn’t happened since Tucker and Colton Poolman in 2016-17.
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