People wondered if it would be Ethan Belchetz, the big winger. I thought Sunny Mehta might take Nikita Klepov, the high-scoring winger. But the New Jersey Devils went in a different direction with the selection of Alexander Command at 12th overall in the 2026 NHL Draft. The 11th ranked European skater, whose rankings ranged from 10th to 40th per Elite Prospects, caught the eye of our new General Manager. After scoring 44 points in 30 games in Swedish juniors for Örebro HK U20, Command established himself as an under-the-radar first round prospect. Per Byron Bader’s Hockey Prospecting, he had identical projections to third overall pick Caleb Malhotra.
Hockey Prospecting
Command was born on June 16, 2008 in Danderyd, Sweden, and he is listed at 6’1” and 187 pounds. He is regarded as a two-way center, and was compared to Nico Hischier at the time of his selection by ESPN’s coverage.
Please see his skills below, in his highlight video from HSD Prospects.
In his interview at the Draft, Alexander seemed rather surprised that he was picked so high, but some draft analysts, like Cam Robinson at Elite Prospects, have been touting him for some time. You can see in his play that he is comfortable making plays on his forehand or his backhand, and he projects offensively like a volume creator, though scouts have also noted that he has a rather high motor on the defensive side of things. Ivan Ortiz had this to say about him for Smaht Scouting:
What really stands out is how quickly he processes the game. That’s the type of trait that tends to translate as players climb levels. He moves pucks efficiently, makes plays under pressure, wins small-area battles along the walls and around the net, and shows a knack for creating defensive breakdowns through smart reads, pace, and intensity. There’s a clear competitiveness to his game, and it shows up every shift. He’s also a high-volume shooter, averaging over six shots per game in the J20 Nationell. But it’s a well-rounded profile too, as he averages 1.24 hits per game and spends more than half of his ice time outside the offensive zone.
In fact, a very common theme among scouting reports is his physicality and defense, with some scouts being surprised that he has maintained such a high level of offense as he’s gone up the levels in Swedish juniors. For a GM like Sunny Mehta, who has a legend attached to him regarding his ranking Jesper Bratt third in the 2016 Draft, I grow a little less surprised as time passes since this pick, as it may just be that Mehta truly values the level of play required of players in the Swedish juniors leagues. Well, Mehta’s made a really good bet there once: let’s see if he’s done it again.
9:30 Update: The more I read about Command, and the more I watch, the more I like. He’s heavily involved, he’s got skill, and fans are going to like him more than they might realize right now. I was disappointed to see Lassi Alanen did not have any tracking data on him, but he described him as “one of the most physical, dogged, and high-motor prospects to come out of Europe in recent years.” Here’s that below:
To Devils fans: what identity did you want to see Sunny Mehta go for here? This is purely a mix of analytical bias (Command was one of the most analytically favored centers this draft) and a preference for physical players, a hallmark of the Florida Panthers way of building. And if he’s getting compared to Nico Hischier, you should be encouraged by that. A big problem I have when watching the New Jersey Devils is it’s like Nico has a plan to get something done, Jack has a plan to get something done, but the rest of the team generally falls up far, far short. There’s no consistency from line one to line four.
We all knew this team had to get “harder to play against,” but that cannot be reduced simply to draft the big North American. There might have been some big players out there, but the tape on Command says he might have been the most aggressive forwards left on the board. Coming into this offseason, most of the play from Devils that has gotten under the skin of opponents has come from our three Swiss guys in Hischier, Meier, and Siegenthaler alongside the occasional big hit by Brenden Dillon. Aside from that, it’s a team largely made up of guys who just skate around and try to make plays through the path of least resistance.
Adding someone like Command could very well signal a change is coming. He’s a guy who has told teams that he hates letting other teams win, and he’s a perfect long-term fit behind Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes for the third-line center role. From what I can see, he’s going to actually forecheck (players are allowed to do that!) and throw hits while being a scoring threat. With Hischier and Meier bringing edge on their line, getting Command a feisty winger could easily draw a lot of attention to the third line as well in a year or two. Keep building that two-way edge and motor, and Jack will be free to get over 100 points with ease.
For our flash poll, please react with your thought on the pick here!
Please note that this article may be updated with more information on Alexander Command later tonight. For now, feel free to discuss.
