It’s that time of the year for The Win Column’s NHL Draft Rankings and Draft Profiles! Earlier on, we released the TWC consolidated 2026 NHL Draft rankings. The 2026 NHL Draft will take place on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo.
Today, we’ll be looking at Swedish forward, Viggo Björck. Björck played his 2025–26 season with the professional Djurgardens IF team, marking him as one of the few top prospects to be playing pro hockey in Sweden.
Who is Viggo Björck?
| Player | Position | Shoots | Height | Weight | Nationality | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viggo Björck | Centre / Right Wing | Right | 5’10” / 177cm | 172lbs / 78kg | Sweden | TWC Rank #9 / CS EU Rank #5 |
Björck is one of the many top options emerging from Sweden this draft. You may have heard Björck’s name for the first time a few years ago, when he was lighting up the J18 and J20 levels. With Djurgardens IF over the last couple of seasons, Björck has proved ready for the pro ranks, making the full-time jump this year.
Björck’s on-ice production
| Year | Draft Rel. | League | Team | GP | G | A | P | P/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | D-3 | U16 Div. 1 | IFK Täby HC U16 | 21 | 18 | 27 | 45 | 2.14 |
| U16 SM | IFK Täby HC U16 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 1.5 | ||
| J18 Nationell | IFK Täby HC J18 | 13 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 1.31 | ||
| 2023-24 | D-2 | U16 Div. 1 | IFK Täby HC U16 | 16 | 20 | 30 | 50 | 3.13 |
| U16 SM | IFK Täby HC U16 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 3.33 | ||
| J18 Region | IFK Täby HC J18 | 36 | 33 | 65 | 98 | 2.72 | ||
| 2024-25 | D-1 | J18 Region | Djurgårdens IF J18 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1.5 |
| J18 Nationell | Djurgårdens IF J18 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1.5 | ||
| J20 Nationell | Djurgårdens IF J20 | 42 | 27 | 47 | 74 | 1.76 | ||
| HockeyAllsvenskan | Djurgårdens IF | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1.0 | ||
| 2025–26 | D+0 | U20 Nationell | Djurgårdens IF U20 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1.25 |
| SHL | Djurgårdens IF | 42 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 0.36 | ||
| WJC-20 | Sweden U20 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 1.29 |
Playing full-time in the SHL, Björck put up a respectable draft campaign. Across 42 games, Björck scored six goals and 15 points, which is really good for a player who didn’t turn 18 until March. Another thing that stuck out for Björck is how his coaches deployed him. Unlike most young players in the SHL, Björck had lots of trust from his bench. He was receiving power play and penalty-kill time, getting games with 20+ minutes, and even played 1C for Djurgardens in certain stretches.
Outside of the SHL, Björck also got the chance to represent his country at the World Juniors back in December. Many can likely remember when he had multiple chances to end the game against Finland in the semis. With his nine points, Björck finished inside the top 10 in tournament scoring and top three on Sweden, a huge piece on a gold medal-winning team.
Bjorck’s strengths
Consistent high-end effort
If there’s anything that should immediately stick out when watching Björck, it is his work ethic. Björck never, I mean never, stops working. Scanning the ice, Björck finds the most efficient way to make an impact and directs himself to that play. Whether it be a board battle, applying pressure to the puck-carrier, fighting for position, etc. Björck loves to stay engaged. When the transition to either end has begun, Björck hustles hard for position. He’s either finding space to be an option offensively or regaining lost advantage on the defensive side. Even when Björck looks disengaged, he certainly is not and is just taking a smarter route. He loves to strategically get his body into lanes or wait for the puck to become loose and pounce on it.
Hockey-IQ
As I alluded to near the end of the previous section, Björck is an extremely intelligent hockey player. Very rarely does Björck make plays that have you questioning what the plan was. Head always up, eyes scanning the ongoing situation, Björck can create opportunity out of nothing and see developing plays instantly. With or without the puck, Björck subtly moves with the intention to generate open space. Whether it be for himself or his teammate, his success rate is quite high. Then, he takes advantage with a crisp pass or a drive towards the opponent. Björck can also slip behind defences and create breakaway opportunities with ease.
I also like the patience Björck has. Often, you can see Björck start to tone down the pace he’s playing with, sensing an opportunity to possibly pounce. If he’s not in the puck battle himself, Björck doesn’t start to jam his stick trying to get the puck loose. Instead, he positions himself to be the first on it when it slips from the battle and starts heading the other way with speed. Another example is, instead of applying pressure to an opponent defensively, he quietly gets into lanes and positions himself to help shut down any opposing offence. This allows him to have success with interceptions or to refind the action no matter what side it ends up on.
Pace
Another trait that continues to round out Björck’s game is his ability to play with pace. That bullet being shot down the ice? Very likely is Viggo Björck. I find him to be a very quick skater, allowing him to transition from zone to zone swiftly and without issue. This speed pairs with the skill of pouncing on opportunities that I mentioned before. The play can be headed towards his team’s end, the opponent bobbles the puck, and suddenly, Björck is already on a breakaway headed for a chance on net the other way. Björck is the player who looks like he’s vibrating when the breakout is preparing to launch.
The pace also isn’t just in his feet, it’s in his mind and hands, too. When the puck is being cycled in the zone, Björck moves with an incredible tempo. He can make quick, intelligent plays to improve his team’s chances of generating. In situations, he’ll begin to discreetly scan for a stronger position and attempt to move with the set pace to reach before an opponent notices. Smooth and swift hands make it easy for Björck to play with speed, whether it be to set up a teammate or move around the zone.
Puck-skills
The final aspect of Björck’s strengths would be his skills with the puck. Fluid movements with the puck on his stick allow Björck to place his offensive game at the level it has achieved. He can move the puck around defenders with ease, fake out goalies with rapid little movements, and position to shoot or pass in quick succession. An area of Björck’s puck skills that I specifically adore is his ability to protect the puck. He stays strong on his feet and wards off opponents with the loose hand. It’s especially impressive with his smaller stature. Björck isn’t shy of having great passing either. In a plethora of situations, Björck can make the correct and successful pass with proficiency. Paired with his smooth hands, Björck can make pretty passes that elevate the opportunity to score quite often.
Björck’s areas for improvement
Size
The only true weakness I could see Björck having is his size. Although he’s played mainly centre in the SHL this season, it’s not often you see an NHL centre at his 5’10”, 172lbs stature. However, Björck doesn’t play like he’s a bit small for a hockey player. He engages in physicality and finds success in good rates. He’s not often shoved off the puck and holds his ground while carrying. Nonetheless, an additional inch and a few pounds could do some good in making sure he projects at the next level of play.
Bjorck’s comparables
One comparable I like a decent amount is another one of my favourites from a few drafts ago, Zach Benson. Like Björck, Benson is an undersized forward who excels thanks to his smarts, effort, puck skills, and ability to keep up with play. Benson consistently scans the ice and plays with patience, allowing him to capitalize on the mistakes of the opposing team. He engages in physicality despite a smaller stature and is a dawg along the boards. Away from that, Benson is an intelligent passer and puck-mover. Nifty and crafty moves often generate from him, and he sets teammates up with high-danger chances. My only gripe is that Benson’s feet don’t move as fast as Björck’s, but the pace of in-zone play matches.
A more experienced comparable for Bjorck would be Tampa Bay Lightning centre Brayden Point. Point brings speed to his game, with the ability to move the puck efficiently. He also adds high hockey-IQ and consistent effort every shift. One aspect I like about this comparison in particular is how Point protects the puck with ease, staying strong on his feet and making drives into space. I’d say Björck is more of a passer, and Point is more of a shooter, but it’s not like they don’t have success playing the other role if needed.
Fit with the Flames
| Organizational need addressed | Top-6 Centre |
| Realistic pick range | 6-12 |
| NHL timeline | 1-2 seasons |
| Flames fit verdict | Great fit |
If the draft lottery balls don’t align for the Flames, Björck is a fantastic option if you lose out on McKenna and Stenberg. I would say that Björck would become the team’s best forward prospect and add versatility to the future outlook. Björck has played mostly at centre, and I think he can succeed there quite easily. However, even if he ends up a winger, I think you’ll be getting him at such a high-level that it won’t necessarily matter.
In reality, Björck probably doesn’t hear his name until at least the 6th pick, and even has threats of falling to the teens thanks to his size. However, I’d personally have no issue grabbing him as soon as the big two are off the board.
With the recent surprises of Zach Benson and Ben Kindel making the NHL at 18, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Björck joined that group. Unfortunately, he’s still under contract with Djurgardens in the SHL, so you’re likely looking at an NHL jump in 2027–28. I could see Björck possibly needing an additional season to adjust to the North American style, but that is not likely, in my opinion.
Summary
Viggo Björck is a dynamic centre whose high hockey IQ, never-ending motor, top-end puck skills, and ability to play with incredible pace make him a fantastic option early on in the 2026 NHL draft. Personally, I have strong faith in him panning out to at least be a top-six option, with a good chance of being top-line calibre. I think we could see him in the NHL as early as next season, but his contract in the SHL might get in the way. Whichever team is lucky enough to draft Björck is getting possibly the highest ceiling from a forward not named McKenna or Stenberg. And with the stigma against undersized players, it may be with a later pick than expected.
Risk: 1.5/5
Reward: 4.5/5
NHL Comparable: Zach Benson / Brayden Point
Projection: Dynamic, intelligent, top-line forward