The first-round draft pick always gets a lot of attention at Buffalo Sabres development camp, and this year has been no different.
More than 1,200 fans came to LECOM Harborcenter on Thursday morning for the team’s annual 3-on-3 tournament, and much of the focus was on Finnish center Konsta Helenius. There was plenty to see.
Konsta Helenius skates with the puck during a 3-on-3 tournament game at Buffalo Sabres development camp.
After three days of drills where his pure hockey skill was plainly evident, the 14th overall pick last week in Las Vegas was a standout Thursday under game conditions. Helenius led Team Perreault to a three-game sweep and the championship, scoring a slick shootout goal to secure a 3-2 victory over Team Martin, adding two goals and an assist in a 5-3 win over Team Robert and then collecting the French Connection Cup from General Manager Kevyn Adams after a 5-0 win over Team Martin in the final.
“It was a fun week, a lot of good players,” said a smiling Helenius. “It was fun to be on the ice.”
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Helenius spent last season playing with men at home in Finland and is going back there to work with his personal trainer. The Sabres would love to get him signed and playing in Rochester this season.
Goalie Topias Leinonen has played only 52 games since the Buffalo Sabres took him 41st overall in the draft because of various minor injuries.
“The first thing that stands out is the hockey sense,” said Amerks assistant coach and longtime former NHL forward Vinny Prospal. “When you see him, especially with the small-area (practice) games, you can really see that he’s got above-average hockey sense, compared to some of these players that we have on the ice right now. And it’s a credit to him. That’s why probably he got drafted where he got drafted.”
New Rochester Amerks coach Michael Leone talks about Sabres first-round draft choice Konsta Helenius after the final day of development camp in LECOM HarborCenter on July 4, 2024.
Helenius drew oohs and ahhs from the crowd with his shootout-winning goal against Scott Ratzlaff, a 2023 draft pick from Seattle of the Western Hockey League. Helenius showed stop-on-a-dime skating and quick hands to fake Ratzlaff out of position and quickly pound the puck into the vacated net.
“I was thinking of going forehand-backhand, but he was in a really good situation,” Helenius said. “So I thought I went to forehand again and it was goal, a nice goal.”
In the win over Team Robert, Helenius converted a tap-in from Stiven Sardarian and a one-timer from Jake Richard, and earned an assist with a long stretch pass to send Sardarian in on a breakaway.
“He’s got a low center of gravity, makes a lot of plays,” said new Rochester coach Michael Leone. “He had a really good day. It’s good to be around him, had dinner with him last night with our group. So really nice kid, really excited that he’s in our organization.”
Gilbert became a regular with the Calgary Flames the past two seasons, and there were times throughout the journey when he wondered if he’d ever join the team that he loved as a kid in Western New York.
The Sabres list Helenius at 5-foot-11 and 189 pounds. Assistant General Manager and scouting director Jerry Forton said in Las Vegas that the team expects Helenius to fill out his frame and get to the NHL as a 6-foot player who is over 200 pounds.
“I think he’s very smooth. ... just his ability to evade pressure. He’s got really good hands. He’s got vision to make plays,” said Adam Mair, the Sabres’ director of player development. “Talking to our scouts, they they think he’s like a natural center, and I think that’s an important thing for a player like that.”
Buffalo Sabres General Manager Kevyn Adams presents Konsta Helenius of Team Perreault with the championship trophy after the final game of the 3-on-3 tournament at the Sabres’ development camp.
Road to tourney final
For the record, here’s how each of the 10-minute, 3-on-3 games transpired en route to the championship contest:
Team Perreault 3, Team Martin 2: Helenius’ shootout winner gave his team a victory in a game that was close throughout. It was 1-1 when Sardarian scored on a breakaway with 2:04 left to put Perreault up 2-1, but Max Strbak tied the game for Martin with 15 seconds left.
Team Martin 3, Team Robert 1: Goals by Norwin Panocha, Brodie Ziemer and Ethan Miedema, the latter a nifty top-shelf snipe, evened Team Martin’s record.
Team Perreault 5, Team Robert 3: The Perreaults improved to 2-0 to make the tournament final, thanks to Helenius’ strong play. Sardarian and Richard each had a goal and an assist.
Semifinal: Team Robert 3, Team Martin 2: Miedema’s shootout goal, a deke to beat Ratzlaff, was the lone goal in four attempts in the shootout and gave his team the victory. Miedema, who led all players on the day with five goals, also scored on a breakaway during the regulation 10 minutes.
Patrick Geary's selection marked the second straight year the Sabres drafted a Western New York college player, after they tabbed Clarence's Gavin McCarthy in the third round last year in Nashville. McCarthy, who helped Boston University to the Frozen Four, is here in his second development camp.
Scene and heard
- Leone, who was hired last month to replace Seth Appert in Rochester, attended the final two days of camp after the birth of his daughter.
“It’s been probably the best month of I’ve had in my life. It’s been unbelievable, really fortunate to be in this organization and given the opportunity,” Leone said. “With a newborn I was hopeful to get to the camp on the back end, and I’m glad I got to come and meet everyone. You never know when you’re going to get your opportunity and it was surreal putting the Sabres logo on and looking at your stall before you’re about to get on the ice.”
- US National Team Development Program captain Ziemer, a third-round pick last week, might have been the breakout performer of camp. He showed a hard, quick shot, as well as a nose for the puck in the offensive zone.
- Adams made brief remarks following the trophy presentation to thank the players and staff for their work during the week and the fans for their attendance. At a quick pause during his remarks, a fan drew guffaws when he loudly blurted, “Make a trade, Kevyn.” The GM did not acknowledge the request.
