Buffalo Sabers select Helenius in first round of 2024 NHL Draft

Sabers decide to select Finnish forward Konsta Helenius with their 14th pick even as trade rumors swirl

After the Buffalo Sabres traded down from 11th to 14th to get an extra second-round pick yesterday, it was thought that general manager Kevyn Adams would make a drastic move by trading the pick for a player who could help the team now.

Given the importance of ending the 13-year playoff drought, it appears Adams tried to trade that 14th pick, but failed to get the deal he wanted. Lindy Ruff announced the pick, thrilled to share the same stage with Celine Dion (who announced Montreal’s pick), with the Sabres selecting Konsta Helenius, a center from Jukurit, Finland.

NHL Central Scouting Ranking: No. 3 (International Skaters)

The 18-year-old right-hander (5’11, 189) had 36 points (14 goals, 22 assists) and five power play goals, won 50.2 percent of his faceoffs and spent an average of 16:57 minutes played in 51 games for Jukurit in Liiga, Finland’s top men’s professional league. He had the most points by an under-19 player in Liiga this season. Helenius had two points (one goal, one assist) and 13 shots on goal in seven games for fourth-place Finland at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, averaging 19:12 minutes of playing time in a role second line. He was the youngest player (17 years old) at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, where he played center on Finland’s top line with Mikael Granlund (San Jose Sharks) and Valtteri Puustinen (Pittsburgh Penguins). Some scouts have compared him to Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point.

“He’s a complete hockey player, a coach’s dream in many cases because you can trust him in many situations,” said Jukka-Pekka Vuorinen, NHL Director of European Scouting.