Notable Hockey Outlet Has Viggo Björck Playing With Winnipeg Next Season
Despite size concerns, the Swedish phenom's international dominance has scouts betting on a rapid NHL arrival. Explore why Björck might defy traditional development timelines to join the Jets.
Video Transcript
All the talk going into the draft, Ryan, was that Viggo Bjorck could step into the NHL.
He's got that feistiness.
He's small, but he's, you know, he, he can handle himself.
He's strong.
So I don't have a problem with this.
If he has to spend time at the EA, I think that's gonna be valuable, 'cause you gotta remember, playing in Sweden and versus playing even in the AHL, there's a world of difference.
And it, it's a different game.
And I'll go back to, like, when William Nylander first came over.
Like, they did have him over for half a season in Sweden before coming over to the A, and he'd tell you that playing in the AHL was more beneficial than playing in Sweden because, again, you know, he got checked like he never got checked in Sweden, and he had to learn to play a little bit more on the smaller ice surface.
So I think this is a good decision by the Jets.
I think if they're freaking out in Sweden, like, you're gonna lose him anyway.
You know, whether you had him for one more year or a half a year, doesn't really matter.
Mike Angello, do you agree?
Yeah, if you look back at Nylander, he played two years with the Marlies instead of play- staying in Sweden and playing with Modo, and I think it was, it was im- really important to his development.
And if you look at somebody like Constant Linus, who we talked about earlier, who came over at 18 years old, who played in the World Championships, the World Juniors, and with- in Liga, the challenge of playing in the AHL I think helped in his development.
Now I think everybody thinks he's a, a, a Rookie of the Year candidate.
So I, I, I don't think fans in Sweden should have an opinion here.
It's, it's up to the Winnipeg Jets who drafted him, and if they think the path of him being successful in the NHL is to play half a season or a full season in the American Hockey League, then that's what they should do.
No sympathy for the SHL or the fans in Sweden.
Wow.
So North American-centric we are.
