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.
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.
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.
