Continuing the Minnesota Wild Draft Target series, today we look at Mikkelin Jukurit forward Konsta Helenius. Ryan Kennedy with The Hockey News has Helenius at 10 on his top 120 rankings for the 2024 NHL Draft. “He’s going to be an elite forward,” one scout said. “I’ve seen comparisons to Brayden Point, but Mitch Marner isn’t a bad comparison either. The stuff he did in the Finnish men’s league hasn’t been done often. He’s not ready physically yet, but he could be a high-end forward.”
Another scout that Kennedy interviewed said “He plays a competitive, detailed 200-foot game. The production is there. The vision and awareness and ability to finish. If he wasn’t 5-foot-11, is he challenging for top five? When you see guys like Zach Benson doing it, you can’t be afraid of it.”
Helenius is coming off a season where he posted 14 goals, 22 assists, and 36 points in 51 games. Scott Wheeler of the Athletic has compared Helenius to Marco Rossi, Nick Suzuki, and Thomas Vanek.
