Sabres Draft #14: Konsta Helenius, 5'11" 189lb Center

[inkman]

Konsta Helenius is a pretty cool name 

Edited June 29 by inkman

[Pimlach]

25 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

He made mention that teams weren't interested in picks/packages for players this year for some reason and pointed to the lack of such trades through the night as proof 

Sounds like a guy who can’t get a deal done.  

[SabreFinn]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Olli Jokinen on Konsta Helenius (Jokinen is his coach)

“He was the best player out there on the ice and generated a couple of goals just with a heavy forecheck generating turnovers and takeaways,” Jokinen says. “He can generate 5-7 takeaways per game which is something that Pavel Datsyuk was the last guy to be able to do as a center. Barkov is really good on that as well. So there’s a lot of similarities to those guys in the way Konsta plays.”

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5435518/2024/04/27/konsta-helenius-2024-nhl-draft/?source=emp_shared_article

from the same article

"His (Helenius) 36 regular season points were the fourth-most ever by an under-18 skater in Liiga, behind names like Barkov, Granlund and Kakko, and ahead of others like Laine, Lehkonen, Puljujarvi and Teravainen."

If he is the next Datsyuk, we'll see about that, but it is promising. I remember a situation in IIHF WC, where he defended against Hischier, and Hischier could not have done it better himself.

[stinky finger]

8 minutes ago, inkman said:

Konsta Helinius is a pretty cool name 

Konsta Helenius = Constant Hell = life of a Sabres fan.

 

 

[OverPowerYou]

Conn Smythe Helenius. But for which team?

[CallawaySabres]

The name alone……

FULL

APPRVAL

[GoPuckYourself]

1 hour ago, ... said:

I don't get the hand wringing. All of our decent forward prospects are on the cusp of being in the NHL so we need to stock up for the future. If you want a player overpay with some of the current prospects and roster players. 

In the meantime we got a true center who already has a two-way game and whose realistic ceiling is a 2C.

I remember when finding a good, true center was a challenge - is that no longer true?

 

He's more of a RW prospect at the NHL level isn't he? At least that's what alot of the so called "gurus" were projecting him as.

[dudacek]

15 minutes ago, GoPuckYourself said:

He's more of a RW prospect at the NHL level isn't he? At least that's what alot of the so called "gurus" were projecting him as.

Helenius? He's been described as a pure centre in pretty much everything I've seen.

Smart, responsible, solidly built, good skater, defensively diligent, good distributor: ticks all the requisite centre boxes.

 

 

Edited June 29 by dudacek

[dudacek]

Was it posted earlier that two of Bob McKenzie's NHL scouts had him ranked as 3rd overall, and 5 had him in their top 7?

Pretty surprising to me in this draft.

[Turbo44]

7 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Was it posted earlier that two of Bob McKenzie's NHL scouts had him ranked as 3rd overall, and 5 had him in their top 7?

Pretty surprising to me in this draft.

And the other 5 has him between 11 and 15. A lot of differing opinions on the players in this draft 

[B-U-F-F-A-L-O]

3 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

It's like their scouts only like one type of player, period. 

I could be reading into it, but he did not look thrilled with the choice. 

I was saying that before the draft but this kid has 25# on Krebs thru Benson….and He’s 5’11” right now too….

i think he much farther along than Krebs thru Benson as well…

[GoPuckYourself]

22 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Helenius? He's been described as a pure centre in pretty much everything I've seen.

Smart, responsible, solidly built, good skater, defensively diligent, good distributor: ticks all the requisite centre boxes.

 

 

Even better then since you can never have too many quality centers, plus he was I believe 52% in faceoffs.

[Flashsabre]

I wanted them to trade the pick but no players were traded tonight.

I really like the pick. Everyone has been clamouring for a Lundell-Cirelli type centre. Well this is your guy. Some are saying he could play as early as next season. I can see him in Rochester. 

If tomorrow comes and goes with no player movement I will be upset but let’s see what tomorrow brings.

I thought the Sphere was cool as hell.

[Ogelthorpe]

Can't wait for Adams to use all his picks and do nothing else. Then whine and complain. F+++ this franchise

[LTS]

3 hours ago, matter2003 said:

At some point, the Sabres will have too much talent to not make the playoffs regardless. I mean, the fact they have promoted so heavily already from recent drafts and still have the best prospect pipeline by a wide margin according to most is absurd.

At some point. At which point is the question.  And the longer it goes, the worse it gets.

3 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Every GM is going to try to take advantage of the Sabres.

Yep. As they should. You deal from a position of strength.  Adams has to flip the script.

3 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Helenius is closer to Benson than he is Östlund. If that helps anyone. 

I sincerely hope so. Finding a player who can play with the GFYS attitude of some Canadian players is not easy. But European players have traditionally not fit that mold. He's the Sabres player now, so nothing to do but hope he's that guy,

[DarthEbriate]

4 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

And I'll be dead

This little one is not worth the effort.

Now, let me get you something...

[TRIP65]

4 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

This sucks .. another player we won't see for 2 years to three and he won't make an impact till your f****** five

And I'll be dead

Question still will be, will Adams part with Prospects????

 

If Jersey is asking more than Adams wants to give, who steps in and says, DO THE TRADE.

 

If Adams doesn't complete a Good Proper Trade, even over paying a little should Pegula FIRE ADAMS after the Draft and a few weeks later.

 

Seriously, is Ruff Ready to have 3-4 Amerks playing on this years squad????

 

Got a new Coach, should have Got a new GM too!!!!!!!!!!!!!  What if the Wrong guy got FIRED?????

[TRIP65]

4 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I think the Flyers got the guy we needed more so that 2nd rounder better get us something or that's another bad trade. 

No one drafted this year helps the Sabres this year unless in a Trade.

Not even sure anyone Drafted by Sabres will sign a deal to come here, No Roster spots available on the Amerks either.

Adams will lose players because there is NO ROOM

[TRIP65]

4 hours ago, triumph_communes said:

Do you expect a mid draft pick in a weak draft to be a top liner?  A 2/3C would be great for us in a few years 

Is this trying to say he might impress in camp and challenge the roster this year like Bensen did last?

 

beating out Krebs isn’t a high bar…

Hoping Benson Centers Savoy and Kane

2 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Sounds like a guy who can’t get a deal done.  

Adams has Ruined Sabres by staying stagnant too long. No One wants to come here when past Sabres are winning Cups and warning League Players Buffalo is a Career DEATH

[TRIP65]

1 hour ago, B-U-F-F-A-L-O said:

I was saying that before the draft but this kid has 25# on Krebs thru Benson….and He’s 5’11” right now too….

i think he much farther along than Krebs thru Benson as well…

Not about this kid, he could be Crosby some day. We have lots of Good Guys of age and Ready for NHL seasons. Just NOT on a Team that has to end a 13 year NO PLAYOFF STREAK

We need a Top 6 Winger that has some GRIT, Bennett for me

We need a Top 4 RW D Player, to go with Bo. Play Dahlin and Power together with Samuelson spelling one of them at times

Put Samuelson and Joki together or Trade Joki and bring Johnson up

Clifton or Bryson as backup, trade the other

2 hours ago, stinky finger said:

Konsta Helenius = Constant Hell = life of a Sabres fan.

 

 

Not about the kid

[Nitro60]

Lack of trades at the draft is not alarming.  Adams has his last chance in the free agency to help this team get into the playoffs.  This kid will be an asset in two or three years.  

[Huckleberry]

5 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

What in the world? Is this a new thing or am I just old as f***

You can use som hawk tuah, might brighten your mood 😜

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, TRIP65 said:

Hoping Benson Centers Savoy and Kane

Adams has Ruined Sabres by staying stagnant too long. No One wants to come here when past Sabres are winning Cups and warning League Players Buffalo is a Career DEATH

It's not career death though. After you come here you get to leave and go win a cup somewhere else. 

It makes you appreciate the highs and lows and the differences so it's a training ground or a farm team for the league. 

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, TRIP65 said:

No one drafted this year helps the Sabres this year unless in a Trade.

Not even sure anyone Drafted by Sabres will sign a deal to come here, No Roster spots available on the Amerks either.

Adams will lose players because there is NO ROOM

There's only 2 scenarios. One, he will flip several prospects for good NHL pros or two, he plans on filling the NHL roster with rookies. The first idea could make us into a good team if he flips enough of them. The second idea will be a joke - again. 

[Berg]

I approve of the choice of all hockey players from Finland.  This country has a climate like Buffalo and even colder, so they will feel right at home.