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F Konsta Helenius (2024, 14th, BUF)

Question for draft passionate here?

Helenius before Berkly Catton?

Personally I prefer Catton, but you?
 
samsagat said:
Question for draft passionate here?

Helenius before Berkly Catton?

Personally I prefer Catton, but you?
Click to expand...
Catton he checks a lot of boxes for an effective top 6 producer: great motor, skating, hands and iq. His shot isn't too shabby also looks like a 200ft game is present as well.
 
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samsagat said:
Question for draft passionate here?

Helenius before Berkly Catton?

Personally I prefer Catton, but you?
Click to expand...
Skills level pretty similar, though Helenius has the edge in the skating category. Where Helenius clearly has the edge is how he handles the physicality of the game and how much harder he competes on 200 ft., just a never stop motor and great IQ Catton's 2-way game is somewhat overrated, you will see him glide on the backcheck and his game away from the puck needs work. Helenius is small, but strong, has no issue competing against growth men while Catton has his struggles against junior aged players.. The strength/power is what separates both players for me at that point. Its not impossible that Catton beef up and catch him up at some point, but unlikely IMO, Catton just seems to have a genetical small frame.

There is much less risks with Helenius than with Catton IMO, Helenius already projects as a solid top 6 center while Catton has the talent level to be one, but remains a long shot and is more likely to end up as a winger than a center.

I have Helenius a tier above, Catton in the 10-15 range.
 
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Goldenhands said:
Skills level pretty similar, though Helenius has the edge in the skating category. Where Helenius clearly has the edge is how he handles the physicality of the game and how much harder he competes on 200 ft., just a never stop motor and great IQ Catton's 2-way game is somewhat overrated, you will see him glide on the backcheck and his game away from the puck needs work. Helenius is small, but strong, has no issue competing against growth men while Catton has his struggles against junior aged players.. The strength/power is what separates both players for me at that point. Its not impossible that Catton beef up and catch him up at some point, but unlikely IMO, Catton just seems to have a genetical small frame.

There is much less risks with Helenius than with Catton IMO, Helenius already projects as a solid top 6 center while Catton has the talent level to be one, but remains a long shot and is more likely to end up as a winger than a center.

I have Helenius a tier above, Catton in the 10-15 range.
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I disagree on overall skill level; to my eyes Berkly Catton is clearly more talented as a puck-handler, corrals passes more easily with control, owns a better arsenal of shots, anticipates plays better, and his decisions with the puck are just higher-end. On a pure offensive standpoint, Catton's tools are just better.

That said, I do agree on most of the other points you've put forward.

Catton is a lesser defensive player than Helenius, is a bit more passive on the forecheck, not as adept at taking time and space away while defending the rush, weaker physically, softer, and, most important of all, Catton's skating just isn't as fluid or explosive as Helenius'.

Overall, I'd say that I think Helenius would be a "safer" prospect to project into the NHL compared Catton, with a clear path to becoming a top-6 forward and non-negligible chance at becoming a true-blue first-liner. If he fails to reach his potential, I still think Helenius could be useful as a complementary piece in a team's middle-6.

Inversely, I think that Berkly Catton's potential is higher than Helenius', with a clearer path to becoming a top player but also obviously more risk involved in picking him since Catton is more of a "top 6 or bust" type of prospect in my eyes, with more flaws to his game.

In a no-stakes game rating them purely on which player I like more, I'd probably have Berkly Catton ever-so-slightly ahead of Helenius because I'd prioritize his potentially higher ceiling.

But I think they each are tremendous prospects in their own rights, both definite top 10 picks in my eyes.

And I also think actual NHL teams, for which high (top 10) draft picks are by no means a small investment/loss if they make a mistake, might consider Helenius' relatively safer path to the NHL an advantage worth picking him over Catton's arguably higher ceiling.

So yeah, that's how I see things. Cheers and have a nice day.
 
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Goldenhands said:
Skills level pretty similar, though Helenius has the edge in the skating category. Where Helenius clearly has the edge is how he handles the physicality of the game and how much harder he competes on 200 ft., just a never stop motor and great IQ Catton's 2-way game is somewhat overrated, you will see him glide on the backcheck and his game away from the puck needs work. Helenius is small, but strong, has no issue competing against growth men while Catton has his struggles against junior aged players.. The strength/power is what separates both players for me at that point. Its not impossible that Catton beef up and catch him up at some point, but unlikely IMO, Catton just seems to have a genetical small frame.

There is much less risks with Helenius than with Catton IMO, Helenius already projects as a solid top 6 center while Catton has the talent level to be one, but remains a long shot and is more likely to end up as a winger than a center.

I have Helenius a tier above, Catton in the 10-15 range.
Click to expand...
Helenius does not have the edge in skating. No clue what you are seeing there. Skill level isn’t close either.
 
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Interesting to see what Helenius can do in the next 2 games. His team will be missing all of their best forwards due to Euro Hockey Tour, including Helenius's usual linemates Puistola and Huuhtanen. How much offense can Helenius produce with minimal help?
 
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Marc the Habs Fan said:
Already 2 goals in his game today.
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Pretty impressive considering that his team is missing a lot of players due to EHT and they are playing against another top team Tappara. Helenius is centering the first line playing with his older brother Kalle who is playing his second Liiga game ever and Hynninen another 2024 draftee so he's not getting carried by his linemates. Helenius is putting the team on his back.
 
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WeThreeKings said:
I really don't know how he is so productive in the Liiga.. nothing really pops as high end.
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Have you watched him play the game in Liiga? He is a playdriver who processess the game really well. Decent skater. He's good at transitioning and is capable of bringing the game to the opponents end almost every time he's on the ice. Very similar profile with Sebastian Aho. How well that translates to NA remains to be seen.
 
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Kaako Kappo said:
Have you watched him play the game in Liiga? He is a playdriver who processess the game really well. Decent skater. He's good at transitioning and is capable of bringing the game to the opponents end almost every time he's on the ice. Very similar profile with Sebastian Aho. How well that translates to NA remains to be seen.
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Aho is the guy I keep thinking of, but that's a pretty high end comparison, even though he wasn't too well thought of at the draft.
 
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Some good points are being made. He doesn’t stand out that much outside of that he’s playing very well in Liiga at an age players rarely so and he was an effective top 6 center at the WJC for a good enough team at an age players rarely do.

The Aho comparison is dangerous. You usually hear that Aho was underdrafted, and he could’ve been, yet he also probably hit his ceiling. It probably isn’t smart to compare a player to Aho at that age, and then expect that same caliber of NHL’er.
 
Pavel Buchnevich said:
Some good points are being made. He doesn’t stand out that much outside of that he’s playing very well in Liiga at an age players rarely so and he was an effective top 6 center at the WJC for a good enough team at an age players rarely do.

The Aho comparison is dangerous. You usually hear that Aho was underdrafted, and he could’ve been, yet he also probably hit his ceiling. It probably isn’t smart to compare a player to Aho at that age, and then expect that same caliber of NHL’er.
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Thankfully no one is doing this.
 
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