Sabres Draft Konsta Helenius 14th Overall

The Buffalo Sabers selected forward Konsta Helenius from Finland’s Jukurit 14th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft. General manager Kevyn Adams reportedly attempted a trade with the first-round selection, but failed to land anything. Instead, they’re finding value amid the chaos of the draft, as teams have defied consensus and chosen their preferences.

Helenius stands 5’11” and weighs 189 pounds and is considered one of the best playmakers in the draft. Primary shooting assists are a big part of his game, allowing his teammates to be open. He is also good in his own territory and can push the play up the ice. His qualities as a player-pilot can be useful in the center or on the wing, depending on his development.

Here is an excerpt from the 2024 EliteProspects draft guide on Helenius:

Konsta Helenius is a complete and detail-oriented playmaker who is always one step ahead of the opponent. He sticks to his checking, eliminates passing and shooting options with a strong defensive stick, and refuses to get overwhelmed in puck battles and recoveries. He regularly gains disadvantaged body positions against bigger, stronger opponents, seals the puck and moves the puck up the ice to initiate a counter attack.

Helenius had 36 points in 51 games last season against men as an 18-year-old, the most points by a player 19 or younger in Liiga. He also represented Finland at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship and the 2024 IIHF World Championship.

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NHL Draft Summary

Unsurprisingly, the San Jose Sharks selected center Macklin Celebrini with the first pick. He was considered the top prospect in the draft. The Chicago Blackhawks followed with smooth-skating defenseman Artyom Levshunov in second, as many had anticipated.

The selection committee was upset early on, however, when Pat Verbeek and the Anaheim Ducks selected Beckett Sennecke third overall. Sennecke was the 13th ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting and was expected to be selected in the second half of the first round.

Forwards Cayden Lindstrom and Ivan Demidov were selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets and Montreal Canadiens with the fourth and fifth overall picks, respectively. Tij Iginla, the son of former NHLer Jarome, was the first overall pick by the Utah Hockey Club at sixth overall. Carter Yakemchuk was the second defenceman selected at seventh overall by the Ottawa Senators, followed by centre Berkly Catton by the Seattle Kraken.

A race against the defensemen ensued, with Zayne Parekh, Anton Silayev, Sam Dickinson and Zeev Buium heading consecutively to the Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild.

The Philadelphia Flyers, who traded up one spot with the Wild, selected forward Jett Luchanko 13th overall, moving the Sabres to 14th.

As for upcoming trade news, the Sabers hold two second-round picks and have plenty of top prospects up front. Although Adams failed to find a suitor for his first-round pick, a lot can still happen over the next few days.