The 2026 development camp for the Pittsburgh Penguins wrapped up Friday with the highly-anticipated prospect tournament, featuring over a dozen Penguin draft picks and some very interesting free agent invitees.

Headlining this year’s development camp were Liam and Markus Ruck, Pittsburgh’s first two selections in last week’s NHL Entry Draft in Buffalo. The Penguins selected Liam in the first round, 22nd overall and putting a plan in motion to eventually reunite the set of twins. The next night, with their first pick in the second round, they took brother Markus.

Interestingly though, the Rucks, who have been playing together for years, were split up in this year’s development camp. The action at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex was potentially the only time the Rucks will play against each other their entire lives, and the only chance to see how they perform independent of one another.

The tournament consisted of a round-robin between the camp’s three teams: Rutherford (wearing white), Murphy (wearing black), and Barrasso (wearing yellow). Play was 3-on-3 with rules that were about as wacky as playing hockey in July. The lone 20-minute period had a running clock until the two-minute mark, when it would stop when play stopped.

Face-offs only occurred after goals. When a goalie covered the puck, they had time to shovel it off to a teammate, while the other team would have to give them ample space (or get barked at by a referee, as Tiernan Shoudy was on the receiving end of in the final). If the puck went out of play, just play it where it lands. In the very rare event a puck left the rink, a new puck would be tossed in for play to continue, given to the team who did not send it out of the rink.

Penalties, meanwhile, were a manpower advantage. If a team committed a penalty, the offending team would have to play 3-on-2 until the puck was cleared and/or a stop in play occurred. Most times, the abbreviated power plays lasted around 30 seconds. This was a departure from tournaments of years past, which would award penalty shots with chasers for infractions.

Unfortunately for those of us who love chaos, some of the more bonkers rules we did not get to see on the ice Friday. Had a game ended in a tie after regulation, the game would have went to a two-minute 3-on-2, and if a tie still prevailed, 1-on-1 sudden death. That was also new to this year; previously, ties were decided via shootout.

The Rucks were the stars of the show coming into camp, and so it’s only fitting that Liam and Markus took opposite sides of the ice to open the tournament. Liam, playing for Murphy and Markus, playing for Barrasso, each had their moments during the tournament. Generally speaking, Liam was probably the better Ruck twin, but Markus wound up as the winner of the tournament. I wonder if he’ll have Liam hear all about it later.

But the Rucks were far from the only players who made a name for themselves at the tournament.

Zam Plante, captain of the Rutherford team, was dominant all day. He looked far more developed and, quite frankly, better than almost every other player on the ice. A fifth-round pick by the Penguins back in 2022, Plante is coming off of a 20-goal, 50-point season in 40 games for the University of Minnesota-Duluth this season.

Plante’s name was in the headlines a few days ago after his brothers, Max and Victor, lobbied for Zam to join the tandem in Detroit’s organization. Zam, for his part, shot down the idea of departing the Penguins as a free agent after college, stating his desire to remain in Pittsburgh’s organization. And based on how he played today, the Penguins are probably very pleased Zam wants to stay.

Plante was a factor in every game he played, including one of the prettiest spin-o-ramas you will ever see to earn an assist in his first game for Rutherford. Plante also put the finishing touch on that game, scored in the second, and nearly willed Rutherford to a win in the final.

The 21-year-old had chemistry with several of his teammates, including winger Pierce Myubi, a third-round selection last week by the Penguins. Myubi has one heck of a shot and the speedy skater was all over the ice. He was one of the most noticeable players at this tournament.

Other representatives of the 2026 draft class included Tomas Galvas, a defenseman taken 54th overall this year. A Czech defenseman sporting a black Murphy uniform, Galvas looked particularly strong early in the tournament. He sort of cooled off later on, but that was the trend of the Murphy team.

Despite boasting the most Penguin draft picks in their lineup and a Ruck twin, Murphy failed to make the final.

Instead, that final was played between Rutherford and Barrasso. The yellow sweaters saved their best work for last, recovering from a very discombobulated and off game for Barrasso on the Covestro Rink for a tournament win on the FedEx side.

Facing Rutherford goaltender Carter Casey, Barrasso was relentless in their attack. Casey played better than the scoresheet would indicate; his first two goals against came off bad bounces. Carter Sanderson banked one in off an original shot that ricocheted off the boards, and a rush originally started by offensively inclined blue liner Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen rang off the post, off Casey’s back, and in.

One time was he was soundly beat, however, was when facing Markus Ruck. After Rutherford came back to tie it, Ruck sniped one clean past the goaltender to re-establish the lead.

After his teammate Tyler Dunbar scored to make it 4-2, Ruck thought he had the game winner. But Rutherford just wouldn’t go away. Myubi put home a pass to bring his team within one with under two minutes to go, and after the team pulled their goaltender they continued to pepper Barrasso with chances.

Barrasso iced the puck with 1.8 seconds left to play, giving Rutherford one last chance to tie it. On a set play following the face-off win, Barrasso goaltender Joseph Skidmore made one last diving stop to ice the game, 4-3.

The team was awarded the tournament trophy, which a few of the players (Skidmore included) had fun hoisting above their heads while taking a small lap around the ice.

In the end, the team with the fewest (healthy) Penguin draft picks on their roster won the tournament. Summer hockey is weird! Tomorrow, Fifth Avenue Sports will have the tournament awards.