The Florida Panthers shocked the entire NHL when they traded for Brady Tkachuk, pairing him with his older brother, Matthew Tkachuk, on a roster that has Stanley Cup written all over it. Though rare and the biggest household name among them, the Tkachuks aren’t the only brothers who will play for the same team to start the 2026-27 campaign.
Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes are also teammates on the New Jersey Devils entering the 2026-27 NHL season. For the time being, older brother Quinn Hughes is staying with the Minnesota Wild and has yet to join his siblings to fulfill the family dream. But it feels more like a matter of when rather than if.
Both Jack and Luke, unlike Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, were drafted by the Devils, both in the first round (Jack was first overall in 2019 and Luke was the fourth overall selection in 2021). The Tkachuks both landed on the Panthers, via trades from their Canadian teams (the Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators).
While the Hughes share a unique distinction as both first-round picks by the same club, they aren’t the only brothers to be drafted by the same team and still be playing together entering the 2026-27 NHL season.
Luke (left) and Jack Hughes (right) playing for the Devils.
The Protas and Folignos will also play together in 2026-27
The Washington Capitals selected Aliaksei Protas with a third-round pick in 2019 and followed it up by drafting his younger brother Ilya with another third-round selection five years later in 2024. Though Ilya Protas only played four games with the Capitals last season, he’s been named to Washington’s opening-night roster for 2026-27, marking another sibling duo for the year.
Lastly, Marcus and Nick Foligno joined forces ahead of the trade deadline last season when the Minnesota Wild completed a trade for former Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick. The brothers remain together in Minnesota entering the new campaign and are expected to share ice time on the Wild’s fourth line.
Pittsburgh has twins on its system
A curious situation is brewing around the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the 2026 NHL Draft, the organization selected Liam Ruck with the 22nd overall pick. Not long after, the Pens drafted his twin, Markus Ruck, with the 39th overall selection. The two played together for Pittsburgh in the preseason but will start the 2026-27 season back with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers.
They are expected to play at the NCAA level in 2027-28 after both twins committed to the University of North Dakota, but it may not be long before the Ruck twins are called up to the NHL by the Penguins. That brother duo will have to wait its turn, but it sure is coming.
Key takeaways
- The Florida Panthers acquired Brady Tkachuk via trade to join his brother Matthew.
- Jack and Luke Hughes enter the 2026-27 NHL season as teammates on New Jersey.
- Ilya Protas made Washington’s opening-night roster, joining his brother Aliaksei on the Capitals.
