Former Okanagan Hockey Academy and current Medicine Hat Tigers forward Markus Ruck has been named the January CSSHL WHL Alumni Player of the Month.
A month after his twin brother Liam was named the December CSSHL WHL Alumni Player of the Month, Markus Ruck played 12 WHL games in January, recording 4 goals and 15 assists for 19 points. On the season the Osoyoos, BC forward has 12 goals and 56 assists in 48 games, leading the WHL in assists while sitting tied for fifth in scoring. Last year Ruck recorded 29 points in 62 games while helping the Tigers to a WHL Championship in his first season.
Prior to his time in the WHL with the Tigers, Ruck played four seasons in the CSSHL with Okanagan Hockey Academy. During the 2020/21 U15 season he tallied 19 points in 9 games. The following U15 Prep season he recorded 32 points in 30 games before leading all U15 Prep skaters with 65 assists and finishing second with 87 points in 27 games during the 2022/23 season. At the conclusion of that season the Tigers selected Ruck 21st overall at the 2023 WHL Draft. During the 2023/24 CSSHL U18 Prep season Ruck finished third with 62 points in just 25 games with OHA.
Ruck has represented Team Canada on two separate occasions, winning goal at the U17 World Hockey Challenge and Bronze at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
