Get to Know the Penguins’ 2026 Draft Class

The 2026 NHL Entry Draft has come and gone, taking place this weekend (June 26 and 27), and the Pittsburgh Penguins ended up selecting six players this year. As general manager (GM) Kyle Dubas and his staff continue to rebuild a pipeline that was bare when he took over the reins in Pittsburgh, the organization has added plenty of strong talent.

Round 1, Pick 23- RW Liam Ruck, Medicine Hat Tigers (Western Hockey League)

One of the biggest and most explosive offensive threats in the WHL this season, Liam Ruck has all of the tools you want out of a top-six forward. The IQ and anticipation skills he has are off the charts, and he has a shot to go along with that, which makes him a threat with the puck at any and all times. The skill translates to his off-puck play as well, as he constantly finds himself in the right position to get a pass or make a play.

The downside to his game is that his defensive game does lack, but with the season he put up for the Medicine Hat Tigers alongside of his twin brother, putting up 45 goals, 59 assists and 104 points in the regular season make Ruck a prospect that Penguins fans should be very excited to have in the organization.

Round 2, Pick 39- C Markus Ruck, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)

Liam gets bragging rights on his twin, Markus, being selected before him, but the latter of the two is no slouch by any means. While Liam is the goal-scorer out of the two, Markus has the playmaking abilities to find a teammate at any time when he has the puck on his stick. The pace he plays at is great, and he can change it and dictate a game. His goal-scoring is not like his brother’s, but his two-way game evens things out. He plays a strong defensive game as a center, and his all-around play earned him the top point-scorer in the WHL this season (21 goals, 87 assists, 108 points).

Both brothers will play one more season in Medicine Hat before heading off to the University of North Dakota for the 2027-28 season to play collegiately. If they can continue to take their games to another level while further maturing, the Ruck twins should become fixtures in the middle of the Penguins’ lineup in a few seasons.

Round 2, Pick 54- LHD Tomas Galvas, Bili Tygri Liberec (Czechia)

After being passed over in the last two drafts, Tomas Galvas finally heard his name called this year by the Penguins in the second round. As a 20-year-old, Galvas has plenty of experience and could be closer to playing North American professional hockey than some other prospects. One of the biggest reasons he has had trouble being selected in previous drafts is his size: he stands only 5-foot-10. There are some shades of Lane Hutson in his game, with his strong offense and size. I am by no means saying that Galvas will turn out to be Hutson, but there are similarities.

After a solid showing for Czechia at the Under-20 World Junior Championship (WJC), he put himself on the map even further leading up to the 2026 Draft, and if he can continue to develop his all-around defensive game, he could end up being a second or third-pair defenseman at some point in his career for the Penguins. Dubas and management taking a chance on him in the second round could pay dividends if he can take that next step in development.

Round 3, Pick 86- LW Pierce Mbuyi, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)

Pierce Mbuyi is an OHL prospect I felt was underrated heading into the 2026 Draft due to his skill set, and the Penguins could end up with a mid-round steal if things work out for both sides. Mbuyi entered his draft-year season coming off winning the Emms Family Award (OHL Rookie of the Year), and there were high hopes for him to take another step in his development. He did top 30 goals (32), on top of 43 assists, and looked like he could end up an early second-round pick in my mind.

Mbuyi, while on the smaller side (5-foot-11, 163 pounds), loves to get into the dirty areas of the ice to make a play, and then can turn around and be a threat with the puck on his stick. While the odds may be stacked against him, the future Penn State Nittany Lion has the work ethic and motor to beat those odds and become a fixture in the NHL down the line.

Round 4, Pick 111- RHD Parker Von Richter, Barrie Colts (OHL)

Another prospect who finally heard their name called after missing out twice before, Parker Von Richter’s game really took another step in the right direction in his draft-year season. He has been looked at as a reliable defenseman who can shut down other teams’ top players in the OHL, but his offensive game has begun to catch up with that. He put up 49 points between the Brampton Steelheads and Barrie Colts and has shown he can play in any and all situations.

Von Richter has the potential to push for a bottom-pair spot in the NHL at some point and has the ability to be a penalty kill specialist with his strong defensive play.

Round 5, Pick 160- G Matvei Nikonovich, Ladia Togliatti (MHL)

A really strong season in the MHL ahead of the 2026 Draft, Matvei Nikonovich put up a 20-14-4 record, with a 1.96 goals-against average (GAA) and a .939 save percentage (SV%). Standing at 6-foot-1, Nikonovich moves around the crease well and is rock solid in the net. His size might be a downfall for him, and with the goaltending depth in front of him being fairly deep, he will likely end up being organizational depth for the Penguins, especially as a seventh-round pick.

Penguins Continue to Stockpile Prospects

With the likes of Sergei Murashov, Rutger McGorarty, Bill Zonnon, and Ben Kindel in the fray when it comes to a youth movement heading the Penguins’ way, the 2026 Draft served as yet another step in the right direction with the six players selected by Dubas and his staff.