"Very excited," Bjork said pregame. "It's my dream come true. That is why I came over from Sweden, so yeah, I'm very excited."
He ended up skating 15:01 in the contest, posting two shots on goal and delivering four hits. It was emblematic of the game he hopes to deliver, one with solid two-way appeal that includes a little bit of offense plus some dependability and physicality (he stands 6-foot-4, 211 pounds in the defensive zone.
"He's got good poise with the puck," head coach Brad Larsen said Friday before the game. "He's a little bit like one gear, like (David Savard) -- Savy was one gear but very effective. He's a very smart guy, poised with the puck. This is going to be his first taste of regular-season NHL. It's a little different than the American League; we know the pace comes at you quicker. There's going to be that adjustment for him, and how well he adjusts, time will tell. We'll see, but I've heard good things about him."
Bjork said his size and reach have helped him adjust to the North American game, and those qualities are easier to take advantage of on the smaller ice surface. Bjork showed he wasn't afraid to be physical during the game, including standing up to those who came a little too close for comfort to the goal of Joonas Korpisalo.
"It seems like he's been playing 10 years here," Korpisalo said postgame. "You can see it."
Bjork said there's a lot to be learned from his debut, but at the same time, it's a memory he'll keep forever. It was made even more special by the fact that his father, Thomas, and girlfriend, Amanda, were able to fly over from Sweden and be there for his first NHL goal.
"It's huge," he said. "Thank you for all the support all the way in my career. It's huge, and I'm thankful for that. They are big supporters."