The Winnipeg Jets\u2019 buildup to the draft included Connor Hellebuyck trade talks, the possibility of a trade up to No. 4 and the potential to deliver fireworks from the draft floor. They got their fireworks in the old-fashioned way, with Viggo Bj\u00f6rck and a trade they decided not to make.<\/p>\n
Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said when Bj\u00f6rck, the dynamic and tenacious Swedish centreman from Djurg\u00e5rdens IF, fell to Winnipeg at No. 8, he had to change his plans.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a potential trade engineered to move back,\u201d Cheveldayoff said. \u201cWe had that in the can in case we needed, but (when Bj\u00f6rck was available) that team called and I couldn\u2019t answer quick enough to tell them no.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bj\u00f6rck is renowned for his hockey sense, shiftiness and offensive skill. His commitment to winning battles \u2014 on the faceoff dot, on the walls and in one-on-one situations all over the ice \u2014 is something the Jets sorely need in their prospect pool. But it is Bj\u00f6rck\u2019s character that Winnipeg\u2019s scouts are banking on.<\/p>\n
Viggo Bjorck goes to the Winnipeg Jets at No. 8<\/p>\n
The Athletic Hockey Show<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s one of those guys that when you go to scout him and you watch him play, you become a fan. You\u2019re not a scout anymore,\u201d Cheveldayoff said. \u201cYou\u2019re watching him, you\u2019re entertained, you\u2019re wondering who this player is that the puck is on his stick all the time. Making dynamic plays, always in the right spot defensively. And then you meet him \u2026 you can\u2019t forget (the) interview.\u201d<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve heard Cheveldayoff express his delight over unexpected players falling to Winnipeg several times over the years. Some cynicism should be allowed. But elements of Bj\u00f6rck\u2019s character jumped out immediately in his post-draft Zoom call. As other prospects cited Nikita Kucherov or Patrick Kane as their idol, he talked about modeling his game after Sidney Crosby. And whereas most other top prospects will tell you in their post-draft daze that it\u2019s a \u201cdream come true,\u201d Bj\u00f6rck pumped the brakes, saying that it\u2019s simply part of a more ambitious goal.<\/p>\n
\u201cGetting to the NHL is your dream,\u201d Bj\u00f6rck said. \u201cThis is a good step on the way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bj\u00f6rck immediately becomes Winnipeg\u2019s top prospect. There\u2019s no player quite as offensively talented and defensively committed in the prospect pool.<\/p>\n
His obsession with improvement is Mark Scheifele coded. With Djurg\u00e5rdens, Bj\u00f6rck was lauded by star teammates such as Anton Frondell for being \u201chyper serious\u201d about putting in extra work after practice, optimizing his diet and obsessing over good sleep hygiene. But Bj\u00f6rck\u2019s all-around game is why Winnipeg did well.<\/p>\n