Jets’ Bjorck Makes Great First Impression at 2026 Prospect Challenge

While there were 24 players on the Winnipeg Jets’ 2026 Prospect Challenge roster this past weekend, many eyes were on only one: Viggo Bjorck, the eighth-overall 2026 pick and organization’s top prospect.

He did not disappoint.

Bjorck Opens Tournament With Beautiful Wraparound Goal

The 18 year old Swede didn’t take long to make an impression in the team’s first game of the tournament.

Midway through the first period versus the Montreal Canadiens prospects on Saturday, he took the puck in his own zone, accelerated through the neutral zone, then dropped the puck off to Brayden Yager after he gained the offensive zone. Yager dished the puck back to Bjorck near the goal line, and he wrapped it in on the far side. The great example of creativity and vision opened the scoring in the eventual 3-1 Jets win.

“Yeah, I mean, fun game,” Björck said postgame. “Nice to get a first win with the new organization, and yeah, it’s nice to get a goal as well.”

“He’s a very unique player. You know, he’s so good in both ends of the ice,” Yager said. “He’s got a great stick, and the puck just seems to find him.”

“I thought he played with a lot of composure out there,” Mark Morrison, head coach of the Manitoba Moose who oversaw the bench at the Challenge, said. “It gets a little scrambly at times. He made some nice plays. Special teams, he was real good, and yeah, nice goal. You can tell he’s into the game on the bench, on the ice, in the dressing room. He’s a competitor, and that’s great to see.”

Bjorck Puts Playmaking Skill on Display With Between-the-Legs Assist

Bjorck hit the highlight reel again Sunday versus the Toronto Maple Leafs prospects. Down 3-1 in the dying moments of the second while shorthanded, Bjorck capitalized on a poor Maple Leafs breakout by snagging a loose puck just inside the blue line and dishing a between-the-legs pass to Davis Burnside, who snapped the it home. The Jets ultimately fell 6-4 in the contest.

“He’s unbelievable. Just the way he plays speaks for itself. You see all the highlights and then can’t wait to play with him. It’s something that I don’t really get to do often,” Burnside, a 22 year old who finished last season with the Moose, said. “I don’t think I’ve ever really played with a player like that before. He just makes plays, he’s poised, and a ton of fun on the bench, too. He’s awesome.”

New Test Begins for Bjorck as Training Camp Set to Open

While it’s safe to say Bjorck passed the first test of his professional career — and the “Viggo-mania” surrounding him has ramped up even more, if that was even possible — new and bigger challenges for him are on the horizon.

Jets training camp opens Sept. 17, and their first of four preseason games comes just two days later on Sept. 19 in Edmonton versus the Oilers.

Over the next few weeks, he’ll continue to have opportunities to make an impression on Jets head coach Scott Arniel and company amidst very high expectations. Many fans and pundits have slotted him as the team’s second-line centre this season — a position they’ve had a lot of turnover in for the past number of seasons — which is big ask and a lot of pressure for someone so young.

If nothing else, Bjorck choosing to opt out of the second year of his Swedish Hockey League (SHL) contract with Djurgardens IF to come to Winnipeg makes it clear he’s not scared of taking on a new challenge. He was considered one of the more NHL-ready players in the draft due to playing all of last season in the professional SHL.

The Jets haven’t had a draft pick immediately jump into their NHL lineup since Patrik Laine in 2016, and if Bjorck could be the next one, the Jets will have a much better chance of being competitive in the Central Division this season.

“I want to make the team,” Bjorck said after the Jets’ game versus the Canadiens. “But we’ve got a game here, and then we’ve got two weeks of training camp as well. So, it’s a long way.”