There may not be a player with more excitement around them entering the season on the Buffalo Sabres than Konsta Helenius. The former first-round pick got a taste of the NHL with nine regular-season games, but it was the latter part of the series against the Montreal Canadiens that has fans excited.
They believed he was ready to contribute, and he certainly did with two goals in four playoff games, but it was costly in that it burned a year of his entry-level contract. This means that they potentially only have two years of him under contract before he becomes a restricted free agent.
Recently, agent Todd Diamond was on The Hockey PDOcast with Dimitri Filipovic and provided some insight into why the Sabres might have been confident that Helenius was ready to step in during the playoffs.
"One of the big things that really helped Konsta and helped us was that before Jarmo was named GM and he was consulting for the organization, he spent a lot of time watching Rochester," Diamond said. "I think he really, really got an understanding of the elements of Konsta's game that can make the Buffalo Sabres a better team. So that was really important, and when those guys went on the run, the style they were playing, I think he saw a perfect fit for Konsta to come in."
The timing of Helenius' first NHL experience certainly aligns with his belief that Kekalainen's time in Rochester helped. Helenius made his regular-season debut on January 19th, roughly one month after Kekalainen was named general manager. In those nine games, Helenius had one goal and four assists, with that bit of success helping in the playoffs.
Konsta Helenius ready to earn his spot on the Buffalo Sabres
As good as Helenius was in short stints with the Buffalo Sabres, he still has plenty to prove as he tries to become a full-time player in the NHL. In the same interview, Diamond talked about Helenius' focus and how he knows he has to earn a spot on that Opening Night roster.
"I think he's hungry for it this year, and he wants to show that he's a full-time NHL player. He had so many good experiences the past two seasons, so expecting big things but never take anything for granted. He's worked hard this summer, and he's going to come in and earn it."
There is no question that the opportunity is there for Helenius with the departure of Alex Tuch. It remains to be seen where exactly he will fit in, but there is a wide-open competition at center from the top line all the way down.
Helenius will be competing in training camp with players like Josh Norris, Jiri Kulich, Ryan McLeod, and Sam Carrick for one of those four spots. However, even if he doesn't win there, Helenius should be able to stick on the roster on the wing.
The Sabres certainly are going to need his production to ensure that they remain one of the top-scoring teams in the NHL. He has the ability to not only make an impact in 5v5 situations but was excellent on the power play in Rochester, and that certainly could help Buffalo, as they have struggled with the man advantage.
The opportunity is undoubtedly there, and as his agent stated, it is now up to Helenius to go earn his spot.
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