The eighth overall pick jumps straight from Sweden to center Winnipeg’s second line, testing his elite skill against Boston’s physicality in a high-stakes, youth-driven season opener.
On Friday, the Winnipeg Jets square off with the Boston Bruins in their season opener, and a newcomer in the lineup is drawing nearly all of the attention. Viggo Björck, the eighth overall pick in this year's draft, has accomplished the rare feat of making his NHL club's opening night roster just months after being selected.
It is a feat usually reserved for the very top picks, but Björck is not only set to make his NHL debut, he is expected to do so as a top-six forward, centering Winnipeg's second line between Gabe Vilardi, who came close to 70 points a season ago, and Isak Rosen, the 14th overall pick in 2021.
The unit will be one of the most interesting looks of the night, as the Jets have opted to break up the lethal top line that carried much of their offense last season. Vilardi will move away from Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele, who will instead play with Cole Perfetti in the opener, while Björck gets a steady, battle-tested presence in Vilardi who can hopefully help him adjust to the pro level quickly.
It is an extremely bold move for Winnipeg to throw an 18-year-old, five-foot-nine center into the fire of the NHL right away, especially against a physical team like the Bruins, and it should make for one of the most compelling games in recent Jets history. Many are already touting Björck as one of the best prospects the franchise has ever had, and his journey begins far sooner than almost anyone expected.
Björck comes off a season in the Swedish Hockey League, a defensive, low-scoring circuit where he faced older competition and still finished with 15 points in 42 games. He will now look to translate his offensive skill set from the bigger international ice surface to an NHL-sized rink against real NHL pros.
Björck will not be the only Jet making his debut Friday as defenseman Tyrel Bauer will also play his first NHL game, bringing a physical, defense-first style that produced 100 or more penalty minutes in three of his four pro seasons with the Manitoba Moose. With two new faces taking the ice for the first time, Friday's showdown has the makings of must-see television.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
