Alexander Command is already talking like a player who knows where his future is headed.
A little over two weeks after the Devils sent him out as part of the Connor Hellebuyck trade, Command spoke to Hockey Sverige on Friday and said he’s excited about what Winnipeg has in store. He said he’s already had “a lot of good conversations” and is looking ahead to the next step, with a reunion with old friend Viggo Björck at least a possibility in theory.
For New Jersey, the move was never going to come cheap. Sunny Mehta didn’t make that deal for fun.
The Devils had spent years sitting just one high-end goalie away from being a real threat, and Hellebuyck gives them exactly that kind of answer. A Vezina-caliber goalie costs real assets, and a recent first-round pick with upside is the kind of piece that has to go the other way.
That’s where Command fits into the picture. He was the Devils’ first pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, a choice that came after Tynan Lawrence, Viggo Bjorck, and Wyatt Cullen were already off the board. Oscar Hemming, Nikita Klepov, and Ethan Belchetz had also been popular mock options for New Jersey, but Mehta went with Command instead.
The pick made sense on paper for a team that had a need at center. Tom Fitzgerald had mostly passed on the position, and while Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier locked down the top two spots long term, Dawson Mercer’s inability to stick at center and Michael McLeod’s arrest stripped away any real value the Devils might have expected from their draft pipeline there. The Logan Cooley miss in 2022 still hangs over the conversation, but that’s a separate story.
Command’s own comments suggest he’s not exactly in the strongest stretch of his development. He said he lost his way a bit this fall and drifted from the aggressive two-way style that made him a top-12 pick. The report describes him as “self-critical,” notes that he’s spending most of his minutes with Örebro’s U20s, and says he’s on the fourth line at the World Juniors camp.
That’s not ideal for an 18-year-old who went in the top 15, but it’s also not some disaster. The Devils traded a prospect who is still trying to find his footing for a goalie who already has an MVP in his trophy case and a gold medal around his neck.
And Command, for his part, is saying the right things. He doesn’t even have an NHL contract yet, and he told the reporter that Winnipeg’s plans are mostly between the Jets and his agent. The Jets have a history of bringing Swedes over early, so he could be in North America sooner than people expect.
For New Jersey, though, the larger point is simple: this is what paying for elite goaltending looks like. The Devils gave up something that stings, but they got the kind of player they’ve been missing for years. Wish the kid well, and then watch Hellebuyck stop a breakaway.
In Other News...
Connor Hellebuyck Is Giving Devils Fans A Debate They Didnt Expect
Connor Hellebuycks first stretch with the Devils has been the kind that looks tidy in the standings and a little messier underneath. He is 4-0-0 through four games, and the raw numbers are solid enough on their face, with an .891 save percentage and a 2.44 goals-against average. For a team that has spent plenty of time trying to sort out its goaltending picture, that alone would normally be enough to calm the conversation.
But the deeper numbers have given Devils fans a more complicated read. The advanced metrics have been less flattering, with Hellebuyck sitting at minus-0.8 in Goals Saved Above Expected and minus-0.3 in Goals Above Replacement, even as New Jersey has done a lot of the heavy lifting in front of him by controlling expected-goal share and shot share. So the early debate is not really about whether the wins count, but about how much of this start is sustainable and how much is being propped up by the team around him. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Walk Into A Charged Islanders Spot At The Worst Time
The Devils are walking into a lively scene on Nov. 7, when the Islanders host them as part of Military Appreciation Night at UBS Arena. The evening is set to feature special giveaways, honors for veterans and military members, military vehicle displays and discounts, with the Islanders also tying the event into broader community programs throughout the season.
For New Jersey, the timing adds a little extra edge to a divisional road game, especially with the Islanders looking to bounce back from a recent loss while trying to keep their winning run going against the Devils. It is the kind of night where the atmosphere will be as much a part of the story as the hockey, and the Devils will have to deal with both. [Read more 🡒]
Anthony Mantha Is Giving The Devils More Than Anyone Expected
Anthony Manthas start in New Jersey was uneven, but the Devils have gotten a much different player since a lineup tweak pushed him onto the third line. After struggling through the first five games, he has settled in and produced five goals and four assists over his last 11, giving the club an added scoring layer it did not always have early on.
The move has also worked beyond just Manthas numbers, with the swap involving Arseny Gritsyuk helping both players find better fits. For a Devils team riding recent success, Manthas current pace points to a season that could end up looking far more productive than anyone expected when the year began. [Read more 🡒]