Helenius impresses at annual Sabres 3v3 tournament

Konsta Helenius was all smiles after the Sabres’ annual 3v3 tournament at LECOM Harborcenter, where the forward scored three goals, including the shootout winner in Game 1 and the game-winning goal in Game 3 to help his team win the championship Thursday morning.

Helenius and Team Perreault won all three of their matches, culminating in a 5-0 victory over Team Robert to claim the tournament trophy.

The tournament marked the conclusion of development camp as 29 players spent the week familiarizing themselves with the Sabres organization through on-ice and off-ice activities.

The event also capped an eventful week for Helenius, who was drafted by the Sabres with the 14th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft last Friday.

“It was a fun week,” Helenius said after the championship win. “There were a lot of good players, so it was fun to be on the ice and see the players.”

Helenius started to play well in the first game against Team Martin, when he scored the winning goal in the shootout to break a 2-2 tie. Helenius brought the puck in quickly and pulled goaltender Scott Ratzlaff to his right before quickly moving the puck to his forehand to put it away and clinch the 3-2 victory.

He then scored a pair of goals in Game 3, showcasing his hockey sense and offensive skills in front of the 1,200 Sabres fans in attendance.

Rochester Americans coach Mike Leone, who arrived in Buffalo for camp Wednesday after the birth of his first child, was impressed with the 18-year-old’s performance and explained what makes Helenius special.

“His composure with the puck, his ability to deceive, his low centre of gravity, he makes a lot of plays,” Leone said. “I had a really good day. It was nice to be around him, I had dinner with him last night with our group. He’s a really good player, I’m really happy to have him in our organization. But you could see his skill set. … I thought the days I watched him, he was really good.”

Helenius was also pleased with his performances throughout the development camp, but plans to return home to Finland to train and continue improving his game.

“I want to be faster and stronger,” he said.

Here is more information about the 3v3 tournament.