Devils take Alexander Command at No. 12 in 2026 NHL Draft

The New Jersey Devils used the 12th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft to select Alexander Command, a center from Örebro, Sweden. The pick reflects a straightforward priority for the organization: adding young forward talent with a playmaking profile in the middle of the ice, where roster value tends to compound over time.

Command, described in the selection report as coming from Örebro, will now join the Devils’ development track with an opportunity to learn the organization’s system and adjust to the North American pace. For New Jersey, the center position is a key piece in modern roster construction, and early-round selections carry the expectation that the player’s skill set can translate as development accelerates.

A top-15 draft slot is also a statement about timeline. The Devils’ selection at No. 12 suggests the team viewed Command as a meaningful prospect rather than a long-shot developmental bet. While draft order does not guarantee immediate impact, teams typically reserve these spots for players they believe can close the gap from junior and European competition toward pro play within a reasonable development window.

The Swedish route has been a recurring pathway for NHL entrants, and Örebro is one of the European starting points that can produce players ready to handle structured coaching at a young age. Command’s move will require more than learning a new rink size. It will also mean adapting to the physicality of the league, the speed of decision-making, and the specialist demands that centers face in both zones.

The draft, of course, is only the first step. New Jersey will still need to evaluate how Command’s tools show up against higher-level competition, how his game holds up under tighter defensive matchups, and whether his distribution, faceoff readiness, and two-way awareness fit the role the Devils envision for him.

What to watch next is less about headlines and more about process. Over the coming months, the focus will turn to where Command plays next and how quickly he builds the type of consistency that leads to an NHL call-up. For Devils fans, the central question is whether the organization’s middle-of-the-ice investment becomes a reliable building block, not just a prospect on paper.

This selection also adds to the Devils’ prospect depth at forward. If Command develops into the kind of center who can handle minutes and create offense in traffic, it would help New Jersey maintain roster flexibility as older pieces cycle out and new roles solidify.