June 28, the day hockey changed for Konsta Helenius.
When Lindy Ruff called Helenius’ name at the 2024 NHL Draft to announce him as the 14th-overall pick, he was no longer being asked to play a European style of hockey, but a North American style.
During his hockey career in Finland, he had played on rinks 15 feet wider than what he plays on now at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester with the Americans. He had spent his life primarily speaking Finnish, but now had to master a new language all while trying to prove that he was worthy of being a first-round selection.
What hasn’t changed for Helenius is the type of competition he faces. Since he was 16, he’s gone against men older than him, playing in Liiga, the top professional league in Finland. He found success in his second season (and first full season) in the league, recording 36 points (14+22) in 51 games to build his profile as a first-round NHL draft pick.
On top of his successes domestically, he became the fifth player to play in the U-18, U-20 and men’s World Championships in the same year. He played in the U-20s in January and the U-18s and men’s World Championship in the spring, totaling 10 points (1+9) across 16 games in the three competitions.
So far in his transition to North American hockey, he’s found periods of success with the Amerks through 14 games with six points (5+1), tied for the team lead in goals alongside Tyson Kozak.
“He’s adjusted to (a smaller ice size),” Amerks head coach Michael Leone said. “You could see some of the goals he scored are O-zone play. Not exposing the puck when you have heavy D leaning on you and protect it and make the next play. I think those are really the different areas of his game where it's different than playing in Europe.”
Having already played hockey against players older than him, even despite the increased rink width, he was used to having to be physical on the ice. This has helped him withstand a faster and more physical league in the AHL.
“I played against men in Finland, so I think that helped me with [puck battles],” Helenius said. “… It's physical here, so I think that's the one thing that’s helped me.”
Still, Helenius has had to adjust to more than just hockey. He’s had to adjust to life, living in a new country at 18 years old, the age of a typical college freshman. Making food, living in an apartment, pretty much anything any teenager would need help adjusting to in a new country. Luckily for him, he has teammates who have been in this situation.
Anton Wahlberg, Viktor Neuchev and Lukas Rousek not only were drafted by the Sabres out of non-North American countries but have shared a line with Helenius throughout the course of the season. He noted the guidance that his teammates have been able to give him during his first few months in Western New York.
“They help me a lot with everything,” Helenius said. “With my apartment and how I’m doing here like normal things and everything. It's of course a little bit different than in Finland what I did like last couple of years. They helped me with everything, food, apartments, everything.”
A part of Helenius’ growth so far this season has been taking the lumps where they come. His first taste of North American hockey came in July with the Sabres development camp and then in September with the Prospects Challenge. Despite getting two helpers during the challenge, he admitted that it wasn’t his best hockey, citing that it was his first time in a game setting in North America.
Then, throughout times this year, Leone has provided the young center with teaching lessons. During a two-game homestand against Laval on Nov. 13 and 16, due to errors in his play, Leone lowered his line’s ice time. However, the first-year Amerks coach knows that these times are going to come for someone as young as Helenius.
“I think with any young player, you're going to make mistakes, but it's throwing him in a position for him to succeed and there's going to be a lot of ups and downs, and there has been so far,” Leone said. “You look at the game in Laval where he probably didn't play great, where he didn't play a lot in the second period, and I think that's a part of growth too. You have to earn it, but it's also understanding and that it's not always going to be easy and you're not always going to get points, it's how you respond.”
Despite the lumps, like Helenius, the season is still young and there’s plenty of time for the 2024 first-round pick to grow. Plenty of time for him to adjust to living in a new country and plenty of time for him to work on his game. Despite his strong start offensively, Helenius said he sees room for improvement.
“I want to play a little bit more with the puck,” he said. “I like to play with the puck, so I have to battle better with 50-50 battles and everything. I have to be better with my stick, have a stronger stick and everything.”
