Winnipeg prioritized hockey sense and versatility in Buffalo, headlined by elite Swedish playmaker Viggo Björck and a diverse six-player supporting cast designed to bolster the franchise's long-term pipeline.
The Winnipeg Jets entered the 2026 NHL Draft with seven selections and left Buffalo believing they had landed another class built around skill, brain capacity and a desire for long-term development.
While Swedish centre Viggo Björck stole the spotlight after being selected eighth overall on Friday night, Winnipeg continued to add intriguing pieces throughout Saturday, selecting a goaltender, a pair of defencemen and three more forwards to round out its draft class.
Photo by Timothy Ludwig/USA Today The organization finished the weekend with seven selections from six different rounds, taking players of multiple positions while remaining on board with the ongoing scouting philosophy that has produced a consistent pipeline of NHL talent over the past decade.
Director of amateur scouting Mark Hillier made it clear throughout the weekend that hockey sense remained at the forefront of Winnipeg's evaluations.
Björck, widely regarded as one of the draft's smartest players, headlines that class after producing against men in Sweden and starring internationally. Hillier described the 18-year-old as one of the smartest players he has ever evaluated, praising both his instincts and ability to consistently find pucks despite not possessing imposing size. The Jets believe he has an opportunity to compete for an NHL roster spot as early as training camp.
On Day 2, Winnipeg continued to diversify its prospect pool.
The Jets selected Slovak goaltender Samuel Hrenak in the third round after an impressive season with the USHL's Fargo Force, adding another high-upside netminder to the organization, adding to youngsters Domenic DiVincentiis and Thomas Milic, as well as Isaac Poulter, who are all waiting in the wings.
Winnipeg followed that up by taking American centre Zach Wooten in the fourth round before adding defenceman Alexandre Taillefer in the fifth, another player whose skating and mobility fit the team's preference for modern blue-liners.
Winnipeg closed out the draft by selecting forward Landon Hafele in the sixth round, before making two seventh-round additions: Edmonton Oil Kings defenceman Alofa "Noa" Tunoa Ta'amu and Providence College goaltender John Parsons.
The complete Winnipeg Jets' 2026 draft class includes:
• Round 1 (8): Viggo Björck — C
• Round 3 (71): Samuel Hrenak — G
• Round 4 (116): Zach Wooten — C
• Round 5 (143): Alexandre Taillefer — D
• Round 6 (174): Landon Hafele — F
• Round 7 (199): Alofa "Noa" Tunoa Ta'amu — D
• Round 7 (220): John Parsons — G
