Winnipeg Jets
· 2026-07-01
The Winnipeg Jets made seven selections at the 2026 NHL Draft, headlined by Swedish centre Viggo Björck, taken eighth overall.
The Jets entered the draft with seven selections and left Buffalo believing they had landed another class built around skill and long-term development.
Björck stole the spotlight after being selected eighth overall on Friday night, producing against men in Sweden and starring internationally.
Director of amateur scouting Mark Hillier praised Björck's instincts and ability to consistently find pucks despite not possessing imposing size.
The Jets believe Björck has an opportunity to compete for an NHL roster spot as early as training camp, currently standing 12th in the Western Conference with a 35-35 record.
On Day 2, Winnipeg continued to diversify its prospect pool, selecting Slovak goaltender Samuel Hrenak in the third round.
The Jets also took American centre Zach Wooten in the fourth round and defenceman Alexandre Taillefer in the fifth.
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 Viggo Björck, Samuel Hrenak, Zach Wooten, Alexandre Taillefer, Landon Hafele, Alofa "Noa" Tunoa Ta'amu, and John Parsons.
The Jets are on a L4 streak and will look to turn their season around with the new additions.
Mark Hillier described Björck as one of the smartest players he has ever evaluated.
The Jets' scouting philosophy has produced a consistent pipeline of NHL talent over the past decade.
And the team will look to build on this success with their new draft class.
But for now, the focus is on developing the young players and getting back on track in the Western Conference.
So the Jets will head into training camp with a renewed sense of optimism and a chance to compete for a playoff spot.