BUFFALO, N.Y. — The past week for Buffalo Sabres first-round pick Konsta Helenius has been a whirlwind.
From Finland to Buffalo, with a pitstop in between in Las Vegas, to hear his name called as the 14th overall pick in the NHL Draft.
“Unbelievable, you know, getting drafted in front of family, and everything, it’s unbelievable,” Helenius said.
Now, Sabres fans are getting to see the 18-year-old center for the first time in person, as Helenius takes part in the team’s 2024 development camp.
“It’s been fun because I’ve seen a lot of good prospects and a lot of good players, so yeah, it’s pretty fun,” Helenius said.
A chance for the young prospect to show off the skills and aspects of his game he says are similar to that of a fellow countryman and one of the top centers in the game.
“I like to watch William Nylander but I think I’m very similar with Sebastian Aho,” Helenius said. “Sebastian Aho is not the biggest guy like me, but we battle hard, we are good skaters, and we see the ice well.”
It’s those qualities that make Helenius such an exciting prospect for Buffalo.
Director of Player Development Adam Mair says this week of development camp is all about getting adjusted to an NHL environment, a new city, new staff, and teammates. It can be a lot for a young player to handle, but the Sabres first-round pick has already managed to stand out.
“I think he’s very smooth,” Mair said. “I think you saw that in the last drill, just his ability to evade pressure. He’s got really good hands. He’s got vision, he can make plays. Talking to our scouts, they think he’s a natural center, and I think that’s an important thing for a player like that, so he’s got those qualities.”
Helenius said he takes pride in his playmaking capabilities, an asset he’ll get the chance to further show the rest of this week, and at the 3-on-3 tournament that concludes development camp.
Asked about the tournament, Helenius said there’s always a lot more space in 3 on 3, so he’s looking forward to it.