Too Much Too Soon?: How Jets Rookie Viggo Bjorck Is Handling The Pressures Of The NHL

Heading into the 2026 NHL draft, it felt like everyone knew who the first two picks would be, and what level they'd end up playing at this season.

Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg seemed destined to immediately be in the NHL, and as with most years, the expectation for other players in the class decreased. That said, when Viggo Bjorck made the Winnipeg Jets out of camp after being selected eighth overall, it didn't shock anyone.

Now that we are 18 games into the Jets' season, the question of whether it was too much too soon has justifiably been raised.

One of the biggest questions in the draft was where Bjorck would go. In the public sphere, his rankings were all over. Ranging from a high of three by myself to 12, where The Hockey News' Ryan Kennedy had him, Bjorck was a player who was thought very highly of. He was praised for his maturity, his two-way game, and his ability to play center against men at the IIHF World Championship and in the SHL. 

The biggest concern about Bjorck was his size, standing just 5-foot-9. Although he was short, he wasn't getting thrown around or pushed off pucks. He understood his positioning from both a strategic standpoint and also how he positions his body in board battles or in a race for the puck. 

Prior to the draft, Bjorck was up front about his size and he was confident in his ability to play despite it. He acknowledged that he has always been one of the smaller guys on the ice but that it didn't matter because he has always found a way to make an impact. He's smart, tactical and brings an entertaining level of cerebral play when he is at his best. 

So what has happened to Bjorck through his first 18 games that has kept him largely off the scoresheet? 

First we have to look at whether he looks comfortable at the NHL level. To start the season, we saw him playing a more assertive game, looking to drive play forward and play in the offensive zone. He wasn't scoring but he was pushing the pace and looking to get the Jets in good positions. 

As the Jets losses started to pile up, Bjorck began to play a more conservative game. He was seemingly playing to prevent mistakes rather than generate offensive chances. Bjorck is a player who possesses elite hockey IQ and when things are going wrong, like a nine game losing streak, he started to play not to lose. 

When that happens, it's nearly impossible to play at the peak of your skills. What made Bjorck such an intriguing prospect was his maturity and pro-ready game. Bjorck was relied upon more as the season went on last year with Djurgardens in the SHL, settling in as their top center by the end of the season. 

He knows what it takes to keep a coach happy with his game when he’s not filling the scoresheet. While that's an advantage in some ways, it also means that when things are going poorly, he isn't playing as freely as he does at his best.

The Jets also don't have a shining history of developing young prospects, especially high-skill players. Guys like the recently sent down Brad Lambert, Nikita Chibrikov, Brayden Yager and Colby Barlow have all had disappointing development paths since joining the Jets' organization.

Having seen the short leash they've received from Winnipeg, it's been a bit surprising to see how the Jets have handled Bjorck. That said, Bjorck understands what to do when he doesn't have the puck, which is a weakness of that group of skilled players.

Bjorck's B-game is reliable, but it's just not been impressive so far. Making mistakes is going to happen and if the Jets coaching staff isn't going to allow for that, then maybe the NHL isn't the right spot for him at this time. 

The Jets aren't winning the Stanley Cup this year, though. It would be a surprise if they even made the playoffs. They should be encouraging Bjorck – and even their other young players – to look for ways to be a difference-maker. Make mistakes now so that when the team is actually ready to compete, they have found what works and what doesn't. 

Bjorck recorded his first NHL point, an assist, in the Jets' 6-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks this past week. He followed it up with two assists in the Jets' 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. This could be a weight lifted off his shoulders, and potentially the start of a run of offense that could be exciting to watch.

If Bjorck can shed the fear of what the coaches might do if he makes a mistake, he should be able to do enough to impress the coaches even when he does. 

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