NHL Draft Prospects Bypass College Route, Returning to WHL for 2026-27 Season In a surprise move, highly touted NHL draft prospects Liam Ruck and Markus Ruck, who are expected to be selected in the first two rounds of the upcoming NHL draft, have opted to return to the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the 2026-27 season. The decision comes as a departure from the traditional path of many young hockey players, who often choose to play college hockey in the United States or Canada to gain additional experience and exposure before turning pro. By bypassing the college route, the Ruck twins will instead continue to hone their skills in the WHL, where they have already established themselves as top scorers. This move is likely to generate significant interest among NHL teams, who will be eager to keep a close eye on the development of these highly touted prospects.

Liam Ruck and Markus Ruck, two top WHL scorers who expect to go in the first two rounds of the upcoming NHL draft, will return to the WHL for the 2026-27 season. (Via NHL.com’s Mike Morreale) In doing so, they will bypass opportunities to spend the season playing college hockey. Many of the Ruck twins’ […]