Penguins Drafted Ruck Twins Into Organization
The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired the Ruck brothers, who plan to play for North Dakota next year.
Updated on Sept. 19, 2026 in Hockey
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The Pittsburgh Penguins have successfully drafted brothers the Ruck twins into the organization. The siblings informed scouts of their explicit desire to be selected by the same professional team.
Why it matters
The team acquisition fulfills the brothers' goal of staying together as they advance through their hockey careers. The duo has been skating as a pair consistently since their youth hockey days at the Okanagan Hockey Academy.
The Ruck twins have played together as a pair throughout their development, dating back to their U15 tenure at the Okanagan Hockey Academy. Their professional drafting follows their long-standing partnership as a unit.
The players
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh that competes in the National Hockey League.
North Dakota Fighting Hawks
The North Dakota Fighting Hawks are a collegiate ice hockey program that represents the University of North Dakota.
The details
The twins managed to secure a spot in the Pittsburgh organization after informing scouts of their requirement to remain on the same roster. They are now slated to move to the collegiate level before their eventual transition to the professional system.
Timeline
Next year: The Ruck twins will play for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks.
Season Trajectory
The Pittsburgh Penguins' acquisition of the Ruck twins follows a long-standing historical trend of NHL organizations drafting sets of siblings to play together. This move positions the franchise to integrate an established duo into their long-term developmental pipeline.
The Ruck twins will spend the upcoming season playing for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks before joining the professional system. This placement indicates the Penguins are prioritizing the development of this duo within the collegiate ranks before their pro-level debut.
The takeaway
The move demonstrates the Penguins' commitment to maintaining the Ruck twins' established on-ice chemistry. The brothers are expected to share the ice together in Pittsburgh once their college tenure concludes.
Further reading
For more on the current state of the team, visit the Hockey section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Hockey News on Sports Illustrated.
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