Konsta Helenius is Leijoni’s own “connorbedard”, whose enthusiasm is already spilling over, writes Jussi Paasi.
Jussi Paasi sports reporter
Bedard it. Bedard this. Recognize, from day to week and month to month.
Those who follow the NHL know how fiercely the only 18-year-old Connor Bedard watched in North America this season.
The hype spilled badly, even though it is a special case, one of the most talented young players of the last decades.
Bedard will surely have a handsome career in the NHL, but the endless adulation of a player barely of legal age is, frankly, absurd.
Even younger, straight into the star category. That seems to be the modern mantra in hockey.
Lions own connorbedard is Konsta Helenius. At the beginning of the Games, he was still 17 years old. Helenius, who has just come of age, is constantly spinning hard outside the rink at the Prague Games.
It’s understandable, because Helenius is one of the hot names in next summer’s NHL booking event. But the glow is already over for him too. And that’s not in anyone’s – especially Helenius’ – interest.
Many – almost all – seem to expect much more from Helenius than should be expected of him at this level.
Yes, Helenius is an excellent hockey player for his age. Everyone who has followed the SM league from home knows that. He made a great mark in Mikkeli’s Jukurei Olli Jokinen in guidance.
But the sense of proportion seems to have been lost to some extent. In his first men’s World Cup, Helenius was placed directly in the middle of the Lions’ first line. A national hero who has experienced everything Mikael Granlund was moved to winger in the chain.
There was no common game tone between the duo in Sunday’s match against Britain, nor on Monday, when the Lions beat Norway. At the same time, Finland’s other chain compositions have fallen comfortably into place.
I do admire it Jukka Jalonen cold-headedness. He didn’t wait for confirmation from the NHL playoffs, but took young first-timers to the games. And it works. As great examples of that, for example Oliver Kapanen20, and Arttu Hyry23, who literally sparkle on the World Cup ice.
At some point, Helenius will surely get a better grip on the plot of the games. But right now the number one chain doesn’t seem like the right place for Helenius. When a result should be made in the result-making unit.
It is worth noting that the current tournament is already the third prestigious competition of the season for Helenius. The youngster certainly has enough enthusiasm, but the first full league season combined with three long national team tournaments is not an easy task.
At least for a player who is just developing into a professional hockey player.
It’s also worth remembering what happened in those previous games.
In the Under-20 World Championships, Helenius did not particularly stand out. And he didn’t really have to get up. Maybe in a year or two, better success at that level can be expected.
The World Cup tournament for under-18s went better for Helenius. The power points also show that: seven service surfaces in five games. At that level, he was allowed to expect a lot. However, Helenius was not one of the brightest stars of the junnu competitions.
Ices to Hat
When I wrote this comment, I remembered the coach Karri Kiven lyrics. Kivi coached Pori Ässi more than ten years ago. There was something else going on in the ranks of the people of Pori Joel Armiawho later became a top class NHL player.
Armia was 17 years old when Kive was asked before the start of the season what he expected from the young super talent in the SM league.
– Nothing. I don’t expect anything at all. He is an underage junior player, was Kive’s answer.
I don’t think that Jalonen expects miracles from Helenius in the rink. But as I already said: if you play in the first chain with a Finnish hockey legend, the result is expected and there will be pressure.
Excessive enthusiasm of young players is dangerous, first of all, for the player himself. A young person who is growing up, taking the first steps of a professional career, should be allowed to develop in peace. Why the hell would you be in such a hurry?
The media is naturally a big reason why the activities of younger and younger ice hockey players are followed relentlessly. We all remember how, for example Patrik Laine every moment of my youth was always reported, from the moped to the girlfriend.
Leave it to the young promises, please. I myself try to carry my little card to the party.