Markus and Liam Ruck, twin forwards from the Western Hockey League's Medicine Hat Tigers, have committed to play collegiate hockey at the University of North Dakota starting in the fall of 2027.
The brothers chose the Fighting Hawks over Michigan State, Western Michigan, Maine, and Quinnipiac, according to the Grand Forks Herald and Spartans Wire.
The British Columbia natives address a key need for high-end offensive talent in North Dakota's upcoming recruitment cycles.
During the 2025-26 junior season, Markus and Liam combined for 212 points to lead all of Canadian major junior hockey in scoring, following a WHL championship run the previous year.
Coaching Staff Excited About Chemistry
North Dakota head coach Dane Jackson expressed excitement about the dual commitments and the unique skill sets the brothers bring.
"Our staff really puts a lot of value on character guys, 200-foot players," Jackson said.
Jackson noted that the incoming players balance a team-first mentality with elite instincts that allow them to execute under pressure.
"Next year, we have a lot of good players.
It's pretty exciting to be able to add names that will be at the top of our lineup in the future," Jackson added.
The coaching staff believes the tandem will integrate seamlessly due to their established chemistry and shared vision on the ice.
"I think their brains and creativity and offensive instincts are extremely good," Jackson said.
Jackson also praised their work ethic and humility, countering stereotypes associated with elite prospects.
"They're blue collar," Jackson said.
North Dakota general manager Bryn Chyzyk echoed those sentiments, highlighting the twins' rare processing skills.
"Their hockey IQ is on a different level, even when evaluating top players in North America — just the little plays they make, the support plays.
It's NHL-level coming out of junior hockey," Chyzyk said.
Chyzyk noted the pair carry an infectious enthusiasm reminiscent of past legendary figures in the university's hockey history.
"Jax talks about different personalities of UND greats — how Jonny Toews was, how T. J.
Oshie was, how Matt Greene was," Chyzyk said.
Twins to Return to WHL for One More Season
Markus Ruck reflected on their offensive outbreak, noting that overcoming early-season pressure helped unlock their potential in the second half of the year.
"It was a really fun year," Markus said.
The brothers felt an immediate connection to the local community and university staff during their official campus visits.
"We're super pumped for the opportunity. We've seen plenty of great clips of the crowd at North Dakota.
For us to hopefully get the chance to play in front of them, it's going to be really cool.
We're excited," Markus said.
Conversations with fellow WHL stars who previously committed to the program helped solidify their decision.
"We talked to Verhoeff quite a bit," Markus said.
The quality of hospitality and professionalism of the training staff left a lasting impression before they finalized their choice.
"They treat the players so well off the ice with food, the way the trainers train the players, the way the coaches talked to us," Markus said.
Liam Ruck emphasized the decision came down to finding the perfect environment to match their small-town backgrounds.
"We had a couple of great options we could have chosen from," Liam said.
The brothers elected to spend one more season developing in the WHL before transitioning to the collegiate level.
"For us, there's no rush," Liam said.
Meanwhile, the twins are generating significant interest ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.
TSN analyst Craig Button suggested the St. Louis Blues use their consecutive mid-first-round selections to draft the pair together.
"We know what two twins playing together can do and they've spent their whole life playing together," Button said.
Button drew historical parallels to famous brother combinations who found success in the sport, specifically in St. Louis.
"And for the St. Louis Blues, these are two really good offensive players.
You think about on the Mock Draft 1.0, we had them going to the Vancouver Canucks. The Sedins had a big part of it.
Well, don't forget - the Sutter twins Ronnie and Richie played for the St. Louis Blues at one time.
Maybe this is the next generation of twins to suit up for the St. Louis Blues," Button said.
Markus and Liam Ruck are scheduled to return to the Medicine Hat Tigers for the 2026-27 season before joining North Dakota.
