Confirmed Signing with Link: [BUF] F Konsta Helenius signs ELC with the Sabres (3 years, $975k AAV)

mattihp

Registered User
Aug 2, 2004
21,059
3,401
Uppsala, Sweden
My opinion is back to Finland one year, AHL the next.
If he needs AHL time now would be the time. If he plays one more season in the Liiga, he might do very, very well. Might not want to play in the AHL then as Finnish skaters usually don't take huge steps in the AHL. Get him there now to round out his game or count on him doing it in the Liiga.
 

FinnishCoyote

Registered User
Jan 3, 2017
1,345
1,868
I think he should play in Liiga next year. Tappara has been good at developing young players and everything in that organisation is top notch. If he was playing for any other Liiga-team than Tappara, I'd say that he should play in AHL next year.

Edit:
Also Tappara is playing offensive minded fast hockey with Grönborg, rather than slow defensive hockey that's been more usual in Liiga.
 

ijuka

Registered User
May 14, 2016
23,281
16,520
Apparently Buffalo is hoping that Helenius is open to playing in Rochester next season
Very likely he's playing for Tappara, I'm not sure what he has to gain from playing in Rochester in comparison.
Should play in AHL next season. Best center on his team in Liiga playoffs. Not much left to prove in Liiga.
It's not about proving anything... This isn't mathematics.
 

dire wolf

immaculate vibes
May 9, 2006
6,288
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Out in LA
I'm ok with him in Liiga or AHL. The advantages of Rochester are: get him used to NA game and ice and living in US; develop relationships with organization, other players, and familiarity with team style of play; and keep tabs on his development on and off ice.

Advantages of Liiga -- he is thriving there and developing well on and off ice; he is getting lots of ice time already (I've heard some mild concern about whether he would get fewer minutes in Rochester due to having Ostlund, Kulich (probably) and Wahlberg also playing C. (Kulich could potentially play wing or make the Sabres' roster)
 
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Ace

Registered User
Oct 29, 2015
25,089
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AHL is also hell with travelling. A lot less of rest than at Liiga. More time for training.
Rochester barely has to move. Whole division is in close proximity. And I’m sure they’d prefer his training be done under their own guys. Not to mention acclimation to smaller ice.
 

Chainshot

Give 'em Enough Rope
Sponsor
Feb 28, 2002
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Tarnation
Rochester barely has to move. Whole division is in close proximity. And I’m sure they’d prefer his training be done under their own guys. Not to mention acclimation to smaller ice.

Some of the distances for North Division teams are similar to Liiga distances but the longest road trip for Tappara up to Karpat isn't even as long as Rochester to Laval, let alone some of the longer roadies to Providence or even Cleveland.
 

Yatzhee

Registered User
Aug 5, 2010
8,881
2,363
Very likely he's playing for Tappara, I'm not sure what he has to gain from playing in Rochester in comparison.

It's not about proving anything... This isn't mathematics.
Getting him to Rochester allows him to acclimate to the smaller ice surface game. It also allows the Sabres to start immediately on his 200 foot game, which Tappara is nor known for but is needed on the NHL game.
So there's plenty to gain for him in the AHL.
 

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