Command was the club’s first-round pick. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Swede plays with a high motor and physical edge. His compete level is unmatched and most of his success can be chalked up to sheer will and determination. He even helped Sweden win a gold medal at the World Under-18 Junior Championship last year while playing on the first line.
“What we know about this young man is, he’s got a lot of attributes. He can skate. He’s got a good head, both with and without the puck,” Dennehy said. “Supports his defensemen in the D zone or on the breakout, but is also gifted enough to find his wingers and put them in positions to score. Possesses a really heavy shot. Good on face-offs. He’s also a true center.”
“And then there’s some of the intangibles. Highly intense, highly competitive individual. Has been on championship teams, i.e., the U18 championship with Sweden. I use the term 200-foot player, and you hear that a lot. That is not a negative term. He is one of the best players all over the ice. At least he’s been that way at the U18 level, and we only see him, because of his drive, because of his determination, because of what he’s already shown us. We only see him getting better.”
The Devils then traded their 35th overall pick to Chicago in exchange for the Blackhawks’ 37th and 119th picks. So, New Jersey added another selection by moving back only two slots. They used the 37th selection on Vanhanen, a Finnish forward that blew up with Everett of the Western Hockey League, posting 87 points (21g-66a) in 62 games in 2025-26.
Vanhanen was passed over in the 2025 Draft, but made the jump to North America last year to prove his mettle after playing previously in the Finnish Liiga.
“I think that’s really what Matias showed was as good as he was last year, he really elevated his game, and it was almost like he got better every month of his season,” Dennehy said. “I just remember talking with our Western scouts, and they were amazed at how quickly he was able to acclimate to the WHL game. Usually, new players, especially Europeans, there’s an acclimation period, whether it’s cultural, whether it’s style of play, and he hit the ground running and never looked back. So, I would say his growth as a player, he’s really taken off, and we do think the sky’s the limit for him.”