Sabres select Helenius with 14th overall 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 is not afraid of 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. Excellent understanding of the game. His playmaking and passing game are exceptional. He is only 17 years old but is already a key player on his professional team in Finland. Played first- or second-line centre for Finland at the World Junior Championship, showing his talent against 19-year-old opponents. Reliable, solid player with an excellent tool set.”

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

“He’s fast and he’s got a lot of skill,” Morreale told Sabres.com. “He’s very smart on the court. What I also like about him is that, despite playing against older opponents, I think he’s shown a lot of composure in terms of where he needs to go and what he needs to do in certain situations.”