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Markus Ruck was selected 21st overall by the Medicine Hat Tigers in Thursday's prospect draft. His twin brother Liam was selected 13 picks earlier at ninth overall, also by Medicine Hat.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Liam and Markus Ruck were surrounded by family and former coaches Thursday when they learned they were becoming Medicine Hat Tigers.
The twins from Osoyoos, B.C. had the day off school and were sitting in their living room enjoying breakfast sandwiches with their family when Liam was selected ninth overall and Markus was drafted 13 picks later in the WHL prospect draft.
“We had both sets of grandparents here and a couple of coaches, it was really, really exciting,” Liam said.
After he was selected at nine, the family was waiting for Markus’ named to be announced. The Tigers made a trade and acquired the 21st pick to unite the brothers.
“It was a really cool experience for me and my family,” Markus said. “It was super exciting, that was the plan all along and just an incredible moment for me and him obviously.”
Both brothers suited up for the Okanagan Hockey Academy’s U15 prep team this season. The 5-foot-11 Liam had 53 goals and 90 points in 27 games for Okanagan, and Markus, who is eight minutes older and stands at 5-foot-10, had 22 goals and 87 points in 27 games.
Tigers’ head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins says they are excited to add two players of the Rucks’ talent and two with chemistry like they do. He had to consider who he would call first after drafting them.
“Once you get drafted I’ll make a call and it was interesting on that one because I had the two boys’ numbers and the dad’s number so I didn’t want to pick a twin because they’re so competitive, so I phoned the dad,” Desjardins said. “He got the twins on so they were all on the call, but it’s going to be that way because twins are super competitive. They’re going to go after each other for sure.
“We’re excited about both of them though. It’s not that we’re more excited about one than the other, we’re equally excited about both.”
When they do make it into the Tigers’ lineup, it won’t be the first time Desjardins has coached a set of twins. He coached Czech brothers Roman and Michal Psurny on the Tigers in 2005-06 and worked with the NHL’s most famous twins, Henrik and Daniel Sedin while coaching the Vancouver Canucks from 2014-17. Desjardins says the competition between two brothers is something the team around them can grow from.
“Twins are so, so competitive, there’s always some rivalry between them,” Desjardins said. “I know with Hank and Danny, they take turns in the fitness test at the start of the year so one would have to go first with pull ups so the other one knew what he had to beat and then the other one would go first in squats or whatever so he always had a standard.
“Because they just both want to win so bad. So it’ll be good having them and they have a really big upside and for us, if you look at the group of forwards, we have a good group of forwards and these two guys are going to add to it.”
As much as Liam likes the idea of being compared with the Sedins, he says they have a long way to go to earn that.
“They’re both hall-of-famers, so it’s a little bit much for right now,” he said.
Both brothers play a high IQ game with their chemistry making the game come to them.
“It makes it a lot easier on and off the ice, being with him on the ice it helps a lot, it’s way easier,” Liam said. “He knows where I am most of the time, it’s so much easier to finish.”
Liam describes his game as a two-way forward who can score, is smart and while he’s not the fastest guy, says that will come. Markus sees himself as a smart, two-way centreman who can make plays and passes out of nothing.
After speaking with Desjardins, Markus says they heard from some of their future Tiger teammates in Tomas Mrsic, Gavin McKenna, Kadon McCann, Hayden Harsanyi, Matthew Paranych and Shane Smith.
“It makes you feel like they’re a tight group,” Markus said. “They welcome everyone in so greatly and it seems like a well run organization.”
Both brothers say they plan on taking part in the Tigers rookie camp later in May and are looking forward to donning the orange and black.
“I’m just extremely excited, it’s a great place and a great team with a bright future,” Liam said.
“I just can’t wait to get started and the future’s bright with that team, I can’t wait to be a part of it,” Markus said.
“Hopefully we’ll have a successful time in Medicine Hat, hopefully win a championship, hopefully a couple even and just have a good time there.”
