Konsta Helenius

Started the 2023-24 season on Jukurit Liiga as the second line centremen, although he projects as a right handed winger with excellent vision and diagnosing skills, soft hands, good edging with a strong burst. Currently entrenched as a centre, he has good hockey senses, quick hands, feet, good pace, and quite a dangle, and translates into playmaker from the wing position using his shifty laterally to be a puck carrier on zone entires. Does good work behind the net and on the half-board on the power play. He will looked off defenders, and then throws cross-ice passes to teammates for tap-ins. He is an excellent passer off both sides of his blades. Although he understands defensive zone responsibility, he needs to establish a stronger work ethic without the puck. At the 2024 World Junior he simply looked like a 17 yr. player who looked two years younger than the 19 year olds that dominated, and made very little impact and was less involved the matches. Sure he displayed some creative passing and did come up with probably the biggest play of the tournament for Finland when, in the quarterfinals against Slovakia, he knocked their star defender Maxim Strbak off the biscuit behind the net and and made a sweet feed to a teammate in the circle for the winning goal. Needs time but projects as a solid passing attacking centre with a 200 foot game.

                                                     --Bill Placzek--