Oliver Bjorkstrand
Danish right winger drafted by Columbus Blue Jackets in 2013.
Oliver Bjorkstrand, a Danish right winger, plays for the New York Rangers in the NHL. The Columbus Blue Jackets picked him in the third round, 89th overall, during the 2013 draft. His father, Todd, is an American hockey coach, and his brother, Patrick, also plays hockey.
Bjorkstrand grew up in Herning, Denmark, where he started his senior career with the Herning Blue Fox in the 2011–12 AL-Bank Ligaen season. As a 16-year-old rookie, he put up 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points in 36 games, leading all players his age in league scoring. That performance earned him the 26th overall selection by the Portland Winterhawks in the 2012 WHL Import Draft. He spent three seasons with Portland before turning pro with the Lake Erie Monsters in the AHL.
During his first WHL season, Bjorkstrand ranked fourth among rookies with 27 points by December and was invited to the 2012 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. He later scored a hat-trick in a 7–0 win over Tri-City and finished the regular season leading all WHL rookies with 31 goals and 63 points in 65 games. He shared the team’s Rookie of the Year award with Seth Jones and led all rookie skaters with 19 points in 21 playoff games.
After that season, the Blue Jackets drafted him 89th overall in 2013. On December 26, 2013, he signed a three-year entry-level contract with Columbus, having tallied 25 goals and 31 assists for 56 points in 32 games that season. By March 2014, he became the second Winterhawk in three years to reach 50 goals, doing so with his fourth hat-trick of the year. He finished the regular season third in scoring with 109 points and made the WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team. He then helped Portland win a fourth straight conference championship with 15 goals and 13 assists in 14 games.
In his third and final WHL season, Bjorkstrand led the league in goals and points, earning the Bob Clarke Trophy as top scorer. He scored 50 goals in 50 games, the first WHL player to do so since 2011–12, and became the first Winterhawk with back-to-back 50-goal seasons since Dennis Holland in 1987–89. He was unanimously named to the Western Conference First All-Star Team and voted team MVP.
Turning pro with the Lake Erie Monsters for the 2015–16 season, Bjorkstrand recorded 15 goals and 10 assists for 25 points before being called up to the NHL on March 16, 2016.
- Born
- 10 April 1995
- Birthplace
- Herning, Denmark
- Position
- Right winger
- Nhl draft
- 2013, round 3, 89th overall by Columbus Blue Jackets
- Ahl calder cup mvp
- Jack A. Butterfield Trophy (2016)
- Whl bob clarke trophy
- 2014–15 (leading scorer)
- Nhl debut
- 17 March 2016 against Detroit Red Wings
Lore & Background
Bjorkstrand was born and raised in Herning, Denmark, to American father Todd and mother Janne. His father, a former professional player and coach, tutored him until age 17. He made his AL-Bank Ligaen debut with the Herning Blue Fox in 2011–12, leading all 16-year-olds in scoring with 26 points in 36 games. Selected 26th overall by the Portland Winterhawks in the 2012 WHL Import Draft, he spent three seasons there, leading all WHL rookies in goals (31) and points (63) in his first year. He recorded back-to-back 50-goal seasons and won the Bob Clarke Trophy as the WHL's leading scorer in 2014–15. Drafted 89th overall by Columbus in 2013, he signed a three-year entry-level contract in December 2013. He began his professional career with the Lake Erie Monsters in 2015–16, where he scored the overtime game-winning goal in Game 4 of the Calder Cup Finals to win the championship and earned the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as playoff MVP. He made his NHL debut on 17 March 2016 and scored his first two NHL goals in his second game. Over subsequent seasons with the Blue Jackets, he set a career-high 40 points in 2017–18 and recorded his first 20-goal season in 2018–19. He signed a three-year contract extension in July 2018.
Reader's Guide
Bjorkstrand's significance lies in his development from a Danish junior standout to a Calder Cup champion and NHL regular with the Columbus Blue Jackets. His rookie season in the WHL saw him lead all rookies in goals and points, and he became the first Winterhawk since Dennis Holland (1987–89) to post consecutive 50-goal seasons. His professional debut with the Lake Erie Monsters culminated in a Calder Cup victory, where he scored the championship-winning goal in overtime and was named playoff MVP. With the Blue Jackets, he transitioned from a checking role to a reliable scorer, achieving his first 20-goal season in 2018–19 despite early-season struggles. His playing style was noted for adapting elements from teammate Artemi Panarin, who had a similar build. Bjorkstrand's career path—from the Danish league through the WHL and AHL to the NHL—illustrates the international scouting and development pipeline that brought a Danish player to prominence in North American hockey.
Did You Know?
- Bjorkstrand led all 16-year-olds in scoring in the AL-Bank Ligaen during his rookie season with Herning Blue Fox.
- He became the first WHL player to record 50 goals in 50 games since the 2011–12 season.
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