The promising youngster from Djurgården will play in a starting lineup together with JVM gold medallist Ivar Stenberg of Frölunda, also 18, and NHL star Lucas Raymond of Detroit.
In the World Championship opener on Friday in Fribourg, Viggo Björck is 18 years and 64 days old and thus slightly younger than Leo Carlsson, the Anaheim star, who was 18 years and 136 days old when he debuted in the 2023 World Championship.
So unless illness intervenes, Björck will be the youngest.
"It's of course fun, but you still have to go in with the attitude that it's like any other match. You still have a job to do out there, so focus more on that," says Viggo Björck.
“Deserves a chance”
In total, he has four teammates with him from the JVM gold team in Tre Kronor. Three of them look set to play in the World Championship opener, with Jack Berglund, 20, and Anton Frondell, 19, also expected to take a place in the lineup. Love Härenstam, 19, is the third goalkeeper.
National team captain Sam Hallam was the one who gave Leo Carlsson and Felix Unger Sörum, now fifth on the list of youngest World Championship debutants, a chance. He believes it is important to let young players step forward.
"We have often emphasized that from the J20 national team the next step is Tre Kronor and it should not be that far. We traditionally know that young players who possess this exceptional talent deserve a chance to play and to see someone like Leo Carlsson. We want to be a bridge and we want to build stars, and the World Championship stage is important to get into," says Hallam.
“The biggest test”
Viggo Björck could have been part of Sweden's U18 national team that won World Championship gold, but was forced to decline when the association demanded that the players who were going to the World Championship not be allowed to finish playing in the Swedish Championship final series for U20.
Instead, he made his debut in Tre Kronor two weeks ago and has shown during the two general rehearsal tournaments before the World Championship that he is worthy of the chance.
So what has it been like taking these steps?
"Yes, there are always steps up, but that's how you want it. It's been fun. Facing Canada will be the biggest test yet," he says.
Facts: Youngest Swedish World Championship debutants
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Leo Carlsson: 18 years 136 days, debuted May 12, 2023.
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Nicklas Bäckström: 18 years 173 days, May 15, 2006.
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Daniel Sedin: 18 years 220 days, May 4, 1999.
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Henrik Sedin: 18 years 222 days, May 6, 1999.
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Felix Unger Sörum: 18 years 242 days, May 13, 2024.
