Rising 2026 NHL Draft prospect Alexander Command discusses his rapid development, international success, and what drives his high-energy game in an exclusive interview.
Alexander Command has been one of the biggest risers on the Swedish draft scene through the first months of the season. With his high-energy playing style, he was one of Sweden’s standout performers at the U-18 Five Nations tournament in November. The Hockey News’ Jacob Smeds spoke with Command ahead of the upcoming World Junior A Challenge.
Command offers an intriguing
blend of physicality and skill from the center position. He shows both flair
and grit in the way he glides through the neutral zone with the puck, while
also being sharp in puck battles along the boards. What stands out most in his
game is his ability to make creative passes under pressure. It’s a sign of both
high hockey IQ and the competitive mindset that has come to define his game.
To understand the origins of Alexander
Command’s hockey sense, we have to go back to where it all began: in Danderyd
in Sweden’s capital, Stockholm.
“It started the same way it does for a lot of kids. My mom and dad took me to the local rink, which was literally just 150 meters from our house. It began with public skating when I was three or four years old, and I had pretty much just learned how to walk.”
“I played other sports too, a lot of soccer, a lot of table tennis, and a bit of everything. But the two main sports were soccer and hockey.”
When did hockey start taking over your life?
“Probably sometime around when I became more aware of myself, maybe when I was eight to ten years old. I felt that I wasn’t necessarily a natural, but hockey came more naturally to me. I always had more of a spark in hockey, and I just loved playing it. So it was natural that I dropped soccer around the age of ten to twelve.”
“I still played soccer during the off-season. When hockey slowed down, I’d go back and train with my old soccer team just for fun. But hockey was always the main thing. It always has been.”
Was hockey still what you spent most of your free time on off the rink?
“Yeah, especially in the beginning. I loved watching and playing hockey. It took over my whole life. I was a hockey kid through and through, and I’ve always seen myself that way.”
These days, hockey takes on a different shape. As part of Örebro’s successful development program, Command lives the sport as a full-time lifestyle with countless hours of training.
“It’s changed a bit now. I still love playing hockey, it’s the best thing there is, but I don’t watch as much as I used to. Back then, it was the first thing I did when I woke up. Me and my dad used to watch NHL highlight packages every morning. I still enjoy watching hockey, just not on the same scale. I think I live hockey in a different way now.”
Which players became your role models from watching the game?
“The classic ones, of course, but no one in particular early on. When McDavid was drafted in 2015, that was right in my prime years of watching hockey. And Crosby, obviously.”
“Now it’s Leon Draisaitl who I look up to the most. He’s an unbelievable player and person. I try to model certain parts of my game after him.”
And you can definitely see some similarities in the way Draisaitl and Command attack the net. But there is still plenty to learn, and there are several parts of the game where Command takes inspiration from the Oilers superstar.
“I look at his two-way play, his calmness, his poise, his playmaking. It’s insane. He’s the only guy I really study closely. He’s outstanding when he enters the zone with the puck, he glides over the ice, drives the play, and he’s physically strong and smart. That’s exactly how I want to play.”
How have you developed your ability to get to the net like the players you look up to?
“It’s probably a combination of my more international playing style and my competitiveness. Goals are scored at the net, that’s where you win games. And I’ve added the right mentality over the last six months that has helped me a lot.”
There’s a lot beyond just his mentality that has made Command successful. Here’s how he describes his biggest strengths in his own words.
“It’s my hockey IQ, my playmaking, and my two-way game. I can be consistent and important in every situation, power play, penalty kill, 3-on-5, 5-on-3, everything. A lot of young players have tools, but you need to put everything together to become a complete player. I think that’s what has finally started happening over the last six months.”
It feels like everything has come together for you this past year. Would you agree?
“One hundred percent. I grew and gained weight pretty late and fast. I wasn’t used to playing in a body that size, so it took time to adjust. Now it feels like everything is clicking.”
“I also got a lot of trust at home. I practiced and played a lot with the U-20 team, learned to adjust my game, and I found my role. I figured out what kind of player I am and started mastering those strengths. Things really took off after Christmas last year and even more this fall.”
The increased trust from his club, combined with the hunger that built up during a long injury spell, proved to be exactly the right ingredients for Command to succeed.
“I played my first U-20 game right before Christmas. I had been injured and only started playing again in mid-November last year. It took about a month before I got my chance. When I came back, I had been without hockey for three months. I was incredibly hungry. I just wanted to get out and play.”
“I brought that attitude into the U-20 games, the confidence to do my thing right away. Of course, the tempo was faster and I was two years younger than most, so I had to adapt. But honestly, it was just get out there and go. I didn’t overthink anything.”
That strong spring stretch also caught the attention of the Swedish national team staff. During the Five Nations tournament in Czechia in April, he played his first game with the Three Crowns on his chest.
How did you approach your first games on the international stage?
“I didn’t overthink it. When you do, you start imagining the worst-case scenarios. It’s better to just go and play.”
“It went well. I scored three points against Finland in my debut. Then I took a hit to the head in the third game. I felt fine, but they didn’t let me play, so I missed one match. But the debut was really good.”
With his national team debut behind him and as one of Sweden’s U-17 players in the best form, Command looked destined for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August. His summer training ahead of the 2025–26 season was going well, but just before the Hlinka pre-tournament camp, a nasty illness brought his momentum to a halt.
“I got something called mycoplasma. I wasn’t very sick, but I had a fever and a cold and was coughing a bit. I couldn’t train for almost two weeks. I definitely wasn’t in top shape when I got there. It’s the highest level in my age group, and I didn’t play my best hockey. It was bad luck combined with not being in my usual form.”
Despite the setback of not being selected for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Command continued in the same impressive fashion at the start of the 2025 fall season. So far, he has piled up goals and assists in the domestic U-20 league, and his momentum carried over into the Five Nations tournament in November. There he recorded three goals and seven assists in four games for Sweden.
Sweden Names Roster for the Junior A World Challenge
Sweden has named its U18 roster for the 2025 Junior A World Challenge, with head coach Johan Rosén keeping most of the Five Nations group and adding key talents like Malte Gustafsson and Douglas Nilsson.
How does the tight, physical, high-tempo style of international play suit you?
“It plays to my strengths. You get less time, you always have someone on your back, and everything happens fast. If you know what you want to do before you get the puck, it usually pays off. And I enjoy the physical, chippy side of it. That makes it even more fun.”
The Swedish coaching staff has talked a lot about keeping their swagger even when things aren’t going their way. That becomes especially important as they prepare to face tougher opponents in this week’s World Junior A Challenge.
“I believe I contribute a lot there. I think I have a pretty cocky playing style in a good way. I like chirping a bit, standing up for myself. I don’t back down. And against the U.S. and other big nations, that’s incredibly important.”
What does it take to beat teams like the U.S. and Canada?
“Play fast and straight through all three zones. Put pucks behind their heels, establish our forecheck, and win pucks back. When we combine that with our skill, we’re really good. And we need to keep that swagger, it’s important.”
After beating the U.S. in the last tournament, the next challenge will be taking on two Canadian teams on their home ice.
“I think our chances are good. It felt good to beat the U.S., and I think we can beat Canada too.”
There’s no doubt that Command carries strong momentum into the World Junior A Challenge. His journey is a great example of how good things can become when hard work and confidence come together. After a very intriguing year behind him, he’s a player to keep an eye on throughout next week's tournament and for the 2026 NHL Draft.
Sweden Wins Both the U18 and U20 Five Nations
It was a dramatic final day at both the U18 and U20 Five Nations. Despite Czechia holding pole position heading into the final day at the U20 level, Sweden ended up winning the tournament — helped by a win against Czechia. Sweden also claimed the title at the U18 level on home ice, thanks to a victory over the United States on Sunday.<br><br>