Ottawa could recreate Vancouver’s 1999 draft with Ruck twins

The Ottawa Senators have a great opportunity to pull off a historic draft move reminiscent of the Vancouver Canucks' 1999 draft.

Holding the 32nd overall pick in the 2026 draft, Ottawa finds itself in the range where the Medicine Hat Tigers’ twin duo, Liam and Markus Ruck, are expected to come off the board. If the Senators want to add something unique to their pipeline, there’s at least a case for trying to bring both into the system.

It sounds like a long shot, but the board could set up a path to make it interesting.

Ottawa could recreate Vancouver’s 1999 draft with Ruck twins

The Ruck twins had a huge season in the WHL, finishing near the top of the scoring race. Markus led the way with 108 points as the primary playmaker, while Liam finished with 104 points and 45 goals as the finisher. They’ve played together at every level, and the chemistry is very real.

Right now, most public boards have them split somewhere in the late first round. Liam’s goal scoring tends to push him a bit higher, often in the early 20s, while Markus tends to sit closer to the late 20s to 30s.

That’s where Ottawa’s pick becomes interesting. At No. 32, they have a chance to make things interesting. If they get a sense that Liam is going to be in and around the 25-28 range, they can attempt to trade up from 32 and take him. Which would leave Markus in the 28-32 range. That is where they'd need to get creative in order to acquire another draft pick to take him. The good thing is Ottawa has enough draft capital to at least explore acquiring another first-round pick in that range.

Trying to land both would take real conviction and probably some willingness to move assets around. But the appeal is obvious. Teams have leaned into sibling chemistry before, and it has worked at a high level when it clicks.

The Ruck brothers have that kind of connection you don’t really teach. If Ottawa wants to take a swing and give its fan base something different to follow on draft night, pick No. 32 is right in the middle of that conversation.

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