2024 Columbus Blue Jackets Draft Projections: Konsta Helenius
In February, THN's own Ryan Kennedy released his Mid-Term 2024 NHL Draft Rankings: The First Round Projection on The Hockey News main site. And it got us thinking, who in the top 5 should the CBJ draft?
Konsta Helenius - Center - Jukurit(Finland)
Helenius had a mid-term ranking from NHL Central Scouting as the #1 international skater, but the final rankings saw him slip to #3, where he is ranked the highest among all scouting services. He's ranked as low as 19 by THN's Tony Ferrari and 17 by Smaht scouting.
In his article from February Kennedy says about Helenius:
Konsta Helenius, C, HIFK (Fin.): One of Finland's youngest players at the world juniors, Helenius had a wicked shootout goal to help beat Sweden in the round-robin, and he clearly has some excellent offensive skills. He definitely got the worst of a lot of hits, though, so getting bigger and stronger will be a priority.
Stats: Helenius just finished his first full season with Jukurit of Liiga. He played in 51 games and had a stat line of 14-22-36. In 6 playoff games, he also had 6 points. He also played in 33 games for Jukurit two years ago, scoring 11 points.
Measurements: 5-foot-11, 180lbs
What Scouts Are Saying
Tony Ferrari - The Hockey News - December 2023 - There are questions on whether they can stand out on offense, but there's a reasonably strong sense they will be effective NHL players. Helenius fits that bill, and this game was a good example of that. His defensive tracking in transition is very solid, always identifying his man and staying in stride with them, tying up their stick if and when the puck came to them.
mckeenshockey.com - November 2023 - There’s not a lot to dislike in Helenius’ game. He’s a strong playmaker, he’s extremely competitive, he moves well, he’s remarkably intelligent, and his defensive game is strong. There have been questions about his size, at 5-foot-11, 176 pounds, and whether or not he can be a top-six center in the NHL but looking at his performance in the Liiga in the dot and in his defensive responsibility, those questions should be put to rest.
DobberProspects.com - November 2023 - The highly intelligent center with a well-balanced skill set has stayed in our top 10 during the whole season. While he may lack some of the high-end tools the other names in the top 10 possess, Helenius compensates for it with a profound understanding of the game. His impact on the ice in all three zones is significant and his ability to adjust is impressive as he is usually able to learn and improve inside the game.
Jokes can be made that since former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen is no longer making decisions, they probably won't go with an undersized Finnish forward with their first pick, but don't write Helenius off just yet. Scouts love him and he has tremendous upside, but folks around Columbus want the Blue Jackets to draft a power-forward-type player that has size and strength.
Mock drafts have Helenius going anywhere from 6 to 20, so where he ends up is anyone's guess.
More From THN Columbus
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