Viggo Bjorck steps into Jets’ second-line centre role at 18

In Winnipeg, the Jets are placing a major responsibility on Viggo Bjorck from day one. At just 18, the Swedish prospect is being used as the club’s second-line centre heading into a home opener against Boston on Oct. 2, filling a spot the franchise has struggled to solidify for years.

The move comes on the heels of a disappointing 35-35-12 season that left the Jets seventh in the Central Division and 26th overall. Off-ice turbulence has added to the unease, with star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck requesting a trade, refusing to report to camp and being suspended. Still, captain Adam Lowry insists the belief in the room remains, saying the team feels it fell short of its own standards and can find its game again.

A long-standing hole at centre and a high-stakes promotion

Finding a true two-way second-line centre has been identified as one of Winnipeg’s biggest needs if the team hopes to return near the top of the standings. The pressure to help is immediate for Bjorck, who is being asked to drive a line that must better support the scoring of Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor. Last season, that duo, along with Gabriel Vilardi, combined for 105 of the team’s 231 goals.

Drafted eighth overall in June, Bjorck arrived with significant buzz. Listed at five-foot-nine and 180 pounds, he compensates for a lack of size with tenacity and strong hockey sense. Coaches and teammates have spoken highly of his early camp performance, enough that his place among the top six forwards appears all but secured even before final cuts are made.

Head coach Scott Arniel has used Bjorck between Vilardi and fellow Swede Isak Rosén since the start of camp and has stuck with that trio through three pre-season games. In his two outings against Edmonton and Colorado, Bjorck logged more than 17 minutes per game. He hasn’t dominated, but he has looked comfortable, showing both quick feet and calm decisions with the puck.

European experience fuels a faster NHL learning curve

Arniel has emphasized patience, noting the NHL learning curve is steep and that Bjorck needs time and space to adjust to a league where both are scarce. That job is complicated by a new collective bargaining agreement that has shortened training camps to 13 days and cut pre-season schedules to four games, limiting the opportunity for extended work with young players.

Bjorck’s background offers some insulation. He made his professional debut at 16 with Djurgårdens IF in Sweden’s second-tier league, scoring in his lone regular-season appearance. The following year he joined the top club, recording six goals and 15 points in 42 games on an all-junior line with Victor Eklund and Anton Frondell.

More recently, he became the youngest player ever to appear at the men’s world championship at 18 years, 65 days. Skating alongside Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond and 2026 second-overall pick Ivan Stenberg, Bjorck posted one goal and five assists in eight games. Arniel points to that experience in the Swedish men’s league and at the worlds as proof that Bjorck is accustomed to facing older players who close quickly.

Physical tests, lifestyle changes and managing the pressure

Even so, the NHL has already delivered some hard lessons. In a win over Colorado, Bjorck absorbed a heavy hit from six-foot-four prospect Gustav Stjernberg. Arniel discussed the sequence with him afterward, stressing the importance of avoiding vulnerable spots as pre-season lineups start to resemble regular-season rosters. Vilardi stepped in immediately to defend Bjorck, a sign the room is eager to protect its young centre.

Off the ice, Bjorck is adapting to a new country and language. He plans to live alone in a downtown apartment, responsible for everyday tasks such as cooking and laundry while adjusting to the demands of NHL life. While he acknowledged there will be an adjustment, he said he feels ready to balance his development on and off the ice.

Bjorck has spoken calmly about the expectations surrounding him, leaning on his time in European pro leagues as preparation. He noted that “the NHL is another step up,” with plays happening faster and less time to react, but he aims to get more comfortable by working through each day in his new environment. His father has already spent a week in Winnipeg, and both parents plan to attend his first home game, while the Jets’ staff and teammates continue to build a support system around one of the organization’s most important young players.