Meet the 2026 Penguins Draft Class

The Pittsburgh Penguins selected six prospects at the 2026 NHL Draft at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo over the weekend. Bringing in three forwards, two defensemen, and a goalie, it was a life-changing weekend for these prospects as they began their NHL journey under the Penguins organization.

“It's a bright future in Pittsburgh,” said first-round pick Liam Ruck, with his identical twin Markus being taken in the second round. “Obviously, a lot of great history there, and seeing that they're coming up again with a bunch of young guys, it's special to join that, and I'm super excited about it.”

Pittsburgh’s newest draft selections will now have the opportunity to hit the ice and meet the rest of the organization at the Prospect Development Camp in Cranberry from June 29-July 3.

“I think getting picked is just the start,” third-round pick Pierce Mbuyi said. “Going into camp, listening, seeing how other guys are, and just learning. I think this whole development camp is going to be a lot of learning for me. I just want to go in there and listen as much as I can.”

Here’s a closer look at what these newest additions will bring to the table, including insight from Penguins President of Hockey Operations and GM Kyle Dubas and Vice President of Player Personnel Wes Clark.

F | Liam Ruck | 1^st Round (22^nd overall)

Height/Weight: 6-0, 174 pounds

Hometown: Osoyoos, British Columbia

Amateur Team: Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)

Noteworthy: Liam is known for being more of a finisher compared to his identical twin Markus. Liam led all WHL rookies in 2024-25 in goals (25) and finished second in goals (45) across all WHL skaters in 2025-26. “I think I'm pretty good with kind of getting into those holes to get into a scoring area, and when you're playing with good playmakers, they're going to find you,” said Liam, who is linemates with his brother. Liam will return to Medicine Hat next season and then has committed to the University of North Dakota for the 2027-28 season, where he can focus on his off-ice training. “I want to be a little more explosive with my skating. It’s a big one for me, and I think that's going to come with strength,” Liam said.

"It’s not just the talent. It’s the talent, plus the enthusiasm and intelligence, with how much he loves playing, contributing to a contending team, and playing well in the playoffs for them. It was a number of different things that made him what we felt was a great fit as a Pittsburgh Penguin." --Kyle Dubas

F | Markus Ruck | 2^nd Round (39^th overall)

Height/Weight: 6-0, 164 pounds

Hometown: Osoyoos, British Columbia

Amateur Team: Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)

Noteworthy: Markus, who led the entire WHL this past season in points (108), is known to be more of the playmaker between him and his brother. "It's kind of how it worked out," he said. "I think we just do whatever the best percentage is to score a goal, and it usually happens to be him shooting and me passing. We never plan anything. I think I do need to shoot the puck a little bit more, and I'm working on that. That's more just a mindset thing. I think I do have a good shot, and I do need to use it more. I think Liam and I work hand in hand with each other, and it's a great fit.” Like Liam, Markus will return to Medicine Hat next season and then play at North Dakota in 2027-28 to continue developing.

D | Tomas Galvas | 2^nd Round (54^th overall)

Height/Weight: 5-10, 168 pounds

Hometown: Zlín, Czech Republic

Amateur Team: Liberec Bill Tygri HC (Czech)

Noteworthy: At 20 years old, this was the last year that Galvas was eligible to be drafted. After having an offensive outburst in his third season with Liberec in the Czech league, with 24 points in 32 games. Galvas excelled at the international level this season, particularly at the 2026 World Junior Championship. With nine points in seven games, Galvas spearheaded his team’s blueline en route to a silver medal. The smooth-skating defenseman will return to Liberec next season to continue his development.

"With Tommy Galvas, there was a lot of work done there, especially with our Czech scout, Brian Ihnacak. [He] was the Czech Defenseman of the Year. He was making a lot of noise in that league. He slept through two drafts, [he] was too good to pass up there. We believe in the impact that he can provide, and we’ll help him develop properly.” --Wes Clark

F | Pierce Mbuyi | 3^rd Round (86^th overall)

Height/Weight: 5-10, 160 pounds

Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario

Amateur Team: Owen Sound Attack (OHL)

Noteworthy: Named the OHL’s Rookie of the Year in 2024-25, Mbuyi displayed his ability to drive play and outwork his opposition as a 17-year-old with 52 points (29G-23A) in 63 games. The hard-nosed forward improved on those totals this past season with Owen Sound, with 75 points (32G-43A) in 68 games. “I’ve grown up and matured over the years with Owen Sound, and they got me ready for the draft and for my future,” Mbuyi said. While Mbuyi will return to Owen Sound for one more year, he has already committed to joining Penn State for the 2027-28 season.

“Pierce is an underdog. He had 74 points this year, and we did a lot of work on him in the past couple of weeks. He’s dealt with some things in his lifetime that you don’t want people at that age to deal with. So, we see the look in his eyes, and we’ve got a lot of belief in the person.” --Wes Clark

D | Parker Von Richter | 4^th Round (111^th overall)

Height/Weight: 6-1, 205 pounds

Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario

Amateur Team: Barrie Colts (OHL)

Noteworthy: Similar to Galvas, this was Von Richter’s last season to be draft eligible after not being selected the prior two years. Being traded from the Brampton Steelheads to the Barrie Colts in the middle of the 2025-26 season, Von Richter found his confidence under Head Coach Dylan Smoskowitz. “He was great for us,” Von Richter said. “It’s easier to connect with having a young coach like that, and I feel like he really brought us together as a group.” While Von Richter and the Colts were swept by the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL Finals, the puck-moving defenseman notched 14 points (2G-12A) in 21 playoff games. Now, at 20, Von Richter will head to the University of New Hampshire for the 2026-27 season.

“Another red-star player. Our scouts, Brandon DeFazio and Chris Roque, had a lot of passion for him, but also converged with the data. He’s going off to school next year, just had a great run this year, and we believe that there’s real upside to provide a defensive impact.” --Wes Clark

G | Matvei Nikonovich | 5^th Round (160^th overall)

Height/Weight: 6-2, 187 pounds

Hometown: Belarus

Amateur Team: Ladia Togliatti (MHL)

Noteworthy: At 17 years old, Nikonovich posted a staggering .939 sv% and a 1.98 GAA in 38 games for Ladia in the MHL. Turning 18 on Sunday, Nikonovich was at the top of nearly every statistical category across all goaltenders in the MHL this past season. From Max Lee of Elite Prospects, the sky is the limit for Nikonovich’s skill set. “Matvei Nikonovich may be one of the more talented movers in this class. He has twitchy, fast feet that bolt him across the crease and allow him to make nifty micro adjustments to his angle and square.”

“He was essentially a red-star player for Jon Elkin (Director of Goaltending). [Nikonovich] was high on his board, so we knew that there was a chance that we would be able to get him late. Once we knew that we could get him, we decided to move a future pick to get him.” --Wes Clark