From combine week through Calder Cup playoffs, Sabres got a big year from Konsta Helenius
The Amerks had a 92-point season and made it to the ultimate Game 5 of the North Division finals. The 5-foot-11 Helenius wasn't out of place − even though he was the youngest player in the AHL and didn't turn 19 until May 11.
It was one year ago this week that Konsta Helenius was just a month past his 18th birthday and made the trip from his native Finland to a far-off place called Buffalo for the NHL scouting combine. He had no idea what the next 12 months of his life would be like.
The Sabres, of course, took Helenius with the No. 14 pick of the NHL draft three weeks later in Las Vegas, so he was back at LECOM Harborcenter as the calendar hit July for development camp.
There was more to come. The Prospects Challenge. An NHL training camp. Major minutes in NHL exhibition games, home and away, with the big club gone to Europe. And a huge debut season in the AHL at Rochester.
Rochester center Konsta Helenius scored 14 goals and had 35 points in 65 regular season games in his first season in North America. Joed Viera, Buffalo News
The combine is back in town this week, and the prospects will stage their workouts for NHL team officials and media on Saturday. You never know who the Sabres will land that will quickly rocket up their prospect chart like Helenius.
The Amerks had a 92-point season and made it to the ultimate Game 5 of the North Division finals before losing to Laval, and the 5-foot-11 Helenius wasn’t out of place, even though he was the youngest player in the AHL and didn’t turn 19 until May 11.
The Sabres were encouraged that Helenius had played and succeeded against older men in Finland’s top league as a 17-year-old. It’s one reason they were motivated to sign him and get his AHL career started.
“I came here and I didn’t really know anyone on this team,” Helenius said during his recent exit interview after the end of Rochester’s season. “Different league, different playing style, and smaller ice, maybe a little bit hard, but then I get used to it and got better. And a lot of games so, of course, there’s ups and downs. I think overall, I think it went well.”
Helenius had 14 goals and 35 points in 65 regular season games for the Amerks, then added three goals and three assists in eight playoff games. That’s pretty impressive when you’re in your first year in North America at a young age.
As the season moved into crunch time, Helenius dug in more and found his confidence.
“It was pretty high,” he said. “End of the season, you get more used to linemates and everything else. You’re building chemistry with your line, so it was much easier to play with guys end of the season and playoffs. Everybody knows that we playing for each other. Everyone wants to win. It’s physical.”
“Just incredible; I thought he rose to the occasion. The bigger the moment, the better he played,” said Amerks coach Michael Leone. “I thought he played with a level of physicality because ultimately, when you get to this time of the year, you find out who you are as a player. You work so hard to get to that end of the year, you have to play a certain way to be successful, and that’s what wins. And I thought ‘Helly’ played a lot of winning hockey for us.”
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Helenius’ season was his willingness be in the middle of lots of on-ice shenanigans. He didn’t shy away from that part of the game one bit. Against Laval − a team that chirped and scrummed at seemingly every whistle − Helenius proved just as willing to speak up and push back.
“It’s part of the hockey, trash talk and things like that,” he said. “I feel playoffs, it’s physical, and sometimes some guys get mad. I just feel like I’m more into the game when there’s hits and trash talk. ... It’s playoffs. Those are fun games. More guys are proud, and it’s much louder. So I like those.”
A natural center who spent a lot of time there this season, Helenius spent most of his time on the wing in the playoffs, playing largely on a line with Tyson Kozak and Lukas Rousek before switching to a trio later in the series against Laval with Noah Ostlund and Anton Wahlberg.
“There was probably a little ‘cheat’ in his game as a young kid. You’re worried about getting points,” Leone said. “Moving him to the wing, I kind of freed him up a bit. I thought we got the best version of him down the stretch, and I thought he did a great job.”
Sabres center Konsta Helenius takes control of the puck against the Red Wings in a preseason game in September. Joed Viera, Buffalo News
“He was outstanding in the playoffs,” added Sabres associate general manager Jason Karmanos. “He was 18 but the compete was there at the end especially. So that’s a great sign, and that’s really exciting.”
The Sabres are going to be patient with Helenius and not force him into the NHL too soon. The current expectation has him going to Rochester again next season so he’s ready to spot in for an NHL debut as a need arises.
Helenius basically was on the go for a full year, starting with the ’24 combine, so he needs some down time. But there are clear objectives for his summer.
“Of course, I’m going to get stronger and faster. Those are two big points for me,” he said. “And it’s not just this next summer. It’s for the next five years. I’ve just got to work at it. I like to play a lot with the puck, and it’s hard to play with the puck if you’re slow and you lose every battle.
“It’s been a big year but a long one,” he said. “I came here maybe nine months ago and everything was new: apartment, food, culture, teammates, everything. It was a big year but I think everything went well.”