NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Tigers prospect Markus Ruck works with a puck during practice Friday morning at Co-op Place ahead of his WHL debut on Saturday.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
After getting a front-row seat for his brother’s Western Hockey League debut, Markus Ruck is ready for his opportunity to don the orange and black.
Markus, the older of the twin Medicine Hat Tigers’ prospects, was in attendance Wednesday night for Liam’s debut where he put up a goal and an assist in an 8-0 win over the Regina Pats.
Now, Markus is expected to get his WHL debut checked off Saturday when the Tigers host the Brandon Wheat Kings. Having watched his brother tally his first goal and point, he’s filled with excitement and a goal for the debut.
“It was super cool, getting to see my brother get to do that and it’s exciting for me to be able to do that Saturday,” Markus said. “Gotta top it, or at least match (Liam’s debut).”
Markus and Liam are used to watching one another on the ice, seeing what the other will do with the puck and following suit, usually leading to a goal off one of their sticks. Wednesday night was unique for them, it was the first game they could remember not being in the lineup together.
That separation, while only put in place by the WHL’s rule of a limit of one affiliated player in the lineup at a time, gives them an opportunity Markus is looking forward to experiencing for himself.
“It’s different for sure but there’s some good linemates for sure and it’s going to be exciting to play with some good players,” Markus said.
Liam, the ninth overall pick in the 2023 WHL draft, played alongside Kadon McCann and Brett Calhoon in his debut. It will be the same set of line mates for Markus, who is naturally a centreman and was selected with the 21st pick in the same draft.
While the two are identical, Liam is said by his parents to smile more, they have different skill sets on the ice. Liam is the shooter and Markus is the passer, reflected by their stat lines at the Okanagan Hockey Academy. Liam has 15 goals and 27 points in eight games and Markus has eight goals and 25 points in eight games, both playing at the U18 level.
That different style of play, as well as Liam being a right-handed shot and Markus shooting from the left, is what assistant coach Josh Maser sees from the youngest Tigers.
“Markus is more of a distributor where Liam is more of a finisher, but they’re so smart and they play so well together,” Maser said. “They play two-on-one hockey, they two-on-one guys all over the ice. You could even see that Liam without Marcus, they’re smart players, they know how to push an offensive advantage.”
Both will share having dad Derek, a former Lethbridge Hurricane, in the stands for the debuts and their mom Nina and younger brother Landon watching from home in Osoyoos, B.C.
The last time Markus donned the Tigers’ colours was in the preseason, picking up a goal while Liam was held scoreless. Since then, Markus says he’s gotten a little bigger and his appreciation for the Medicine Hat organization has only grown.
“The way they treat you around here and how they do things, it’s super cool and I can’t wait for the future,” Markus said. “I’ve gained a few pounds and put on some weight, and then obviously just making better plays in the right place and not turning over many pucks.”
He’s made those adjustments from learning the game at the U18 level and playing for Team B.C. at the WHL Cup. He’s also learned a lot from watching the National Hockey League and film of the Tigers, picking apart what teammates Cayden Lindstrom and Gavin McKenna do with and away from the puck.
“I love watching them.”
In his next film session, Markus will get to see No. 14 with M. Ruck on the back playing alongside Lindstrom and McKenna.
