Sabres select Helenius with 14th pick in NHL Draft

NHL Central Scouting, which ranked Helenius third among international skaters in the draft, offered the following description of the forward: “Plays a mature game and doesn’t shy away from the physical side of the game despite his size. A unique skater who always seems to be in the right place at the right time. He understands the game perfectly. His passing and playmaking skills are exceptional. He’s only 17, but he’s already a key player on his team playing professionally in Finland. He played first- or second-line center for Finland at the World Junior Championship, showing his talent against 19-year-old opponents. A solid, reliable player with a great tool kit.”

NHL.com’s Mike Morreale had offered Helenius to Buffalo with the 11th overall pick in a mock draft earlier this month.

“He’s fast and has a lot of skill,” Morreale told Sabres.com. “He’s really smart there. What I like about him too is that even though he played against older competition, I think he showed a lot of composure about where he needed to go, what he should do in certain situations.