Konsta Helenius – 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

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Konsta Helenius

2023-24 Team: Jukerit (Liiga)
Date of Birth: May 11, 2006
Place of Birth: Ylöjärvi, FIN
Ht: 5-foot-11 Wt: 181 pounds
Shoots: R
Position: C/RW
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2024 first-year eligible

Rankings

When drafting 18-year-olds, NHL teams know that they are not getting a polished player. Many junior players struggle with the defensive side of the game and could add some strength before they are ready for the professional level. Take Cole Eiserman, for example. He has one of the most dangerous shots in the entire draft class, which has led to comparisons to Cole Caufield and Auston Matthews, but he has struggled when not with the puck, which has led to some polarizing opinions on where he should be drafted. However, that doesn’t apply to Konsta Helenius, who may be one of the most well-rounded prospects available in 2024.

Konsta Helenius Team Finland
Konsta Helenius, Team Finland (Pasi Mennander/FIHA)

There is no question that Helenius has a fantastic mind when it comes to offence. With Tappara’s U16 program in 2020-21, he led the team with 20 goals and 57 points over just 22 games, surpassing the second-highest scorer by 26 points. The following season, at just 16 years old, he was moved up to the U18 squad, where he finished second on the team with 45 points in 33 games. In 2022-23, he moved up again to the U20 team, and despite being not yet 17, he put up 28 points in 19 games and made his Liiga debut with Jukerit, where he scored 11 points in 33 games. This season, he’s on pace to set the highest total by a U18 player since Aleksander Barkov put up 48 points in 2012-13, and he has already surpassed Patrik Laine and Artturi Lehkonen’s totals in 2015-16 and 2012-13, respectively.

Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide

The reason Helenius has been able to put up so many points no matter where he plays is his intelligence. He uses his fantastic skating to create space, employing bursts of speed and quick changes in direction to open up lanes for him to make easy passes to his teammates. He carefully watches how plays develop and can read where the puck is going to go and respond accordingly. Oh, and he’s been able to do all this against players five to ten years his senior.

On defence, he’s equally as smart. Despite standing 5-foot-11, Helenius demonstrates surprising strength and isn’t afraid to engage physically with bigger opponents. He uses strong positioning to pick off errant passes and can pressure players to force them into making mistakes and coughing up the puck. When it happens, he relentlessly pursues the puck, ensuring that possession returns to his team. No matter what is happening on the ice, he is one or two steps ahead of everyone else.

Helenius can really do it all. He’s determined and relentless, skates well, and uses his edges and quick changes effectively. He understands the defensive side of the game, knows how to pick off teammates who have the best chance at scoring with a strong pass, and has a quick, deceptive release. The only knock against him is that, of all these skills, none of them stand out above his competition. But when it comes to adding an impact player, no one impacts more areas than Helenius, and he’s not far from being ready for the NHL.

Other Draft Profiles

Konsta Helenius – NHL Draft Projection

Helenius has a very projectable set of skills that will certainly make him a great NHLer, but at this time, it will be difficult for the Finn to slip into the top 10. He doesn’t have the size or stand-out attribute, which may allow other, more dynamic forwards to sneak ahead. Several top-tier defencemen will likely be early off the board, like Artyom Levshunov, Anton Silayev, Zayne Parekh, Zeev Buium, and Carter Yakemchuk. While he certainly has the talent to get up there, he looks more like a top-15 pick.

Quotables

“His defensive tracking in transition is very solid, always identifying his man and staying in stride with them, tying up their stick if and when the puck came to them. Helenius defaulted to the front of the net when defenders went into the corners, ensuring he was there to thwart center lane passes. Along the boards, Helenius understood how to leverage body position and tie up sticks. He isn’t the biggest or strongest player, which was noticeable at times, but his motor was consistently running, which helped offset the strength deficiency.” – Tony Ferrari, The Hockey News

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“When taking a look at this crop for this year’s NHL draft, Konsta Helenius is the front-runner as of now to be the first Finnish player selected off the board. Konsta Helenius is a player who plays the game with intelligence and efficiency. Konsta could be considered a ‘Jack of all trades.’ Someone who’s good in multiple areas and master of none. Although this toolbox isn’t elite, The Finnish forward’s hockey IQ makes up for it as he makes an impact from both ends of the ice. Here’s why Konsta Helenius is making a case to be the go-to option in the top 10 range of this year’s draft class.” – Rayan Tubecc, Recruit Scouting

“Here is a feisty offensive player…I think he looks upon the opponent that there is no size differential…he has tremendous core strength & it is shown when he dishes out some excellent body checks to separate players from the puck…a fun guy to watch with great hockey sense & vision…the best part of his game is his IQ…a beautiful skater that looks almost delicate with his lightness on his feet a big improvement from last year…this guy possess a wrist shot that is hard to match in his age group…his shot all the makings of a [Auston] Matthews…accurate…heavy…smart shooting locations…a pure first liner.” – Murray Caldwell, Draft Pro

Strengths

  • Intelligence & decision-making
  • Quick, accurate shot
  • Skating & quickness
  • Defensive awareness
  • Strength; not afraid to engage physically

Under Construction – Improvements to Make

  • Doesn’t have one dominant skill; not flashy or dynamic
  • A little undersized for an NHL center

NHL Potential

Despite his sub-six-foot stature, I think he can continue to be a center in the NHL. He is just so smart on the ice and can see the game several steps ahead of his competition, which makes him a valuable two-way player, and his ability to set up and read plays gives him the skill to center any line. He should be able to fit nicely into any second line in the NHL when he comes over from Europe and could end up becoming a 60 to 70-point scorer.

Awards/Achievements

  • 2023 World U17 Hockey Challenge – Bronze Medal
  • 2023 U18 World Junior Championship – best faceoff percentage
  • 2021-22 U18 SM-sarja Second All-Star team
  • 2020-21 U16 SM-sarja Rookie of the Year (Timo Jutila Award)

Konsta Helenius Stats

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