Billy Constantinou

Many in the hockey world expected the name Billy Constantinou to be one of the 217 names called out at this past summer’s National Hockey League Draft from Vancouver British Columbia. While no one expected it to be from the podium on Friday June 21, it was expected to come from one of the 31 tables set up on the Rogers Arena floor the next day.

But when the Stanley Cup Champion St Louis Blues announced that they were selecting Jeremy Michel with the 217^th and final pick of the draft, Constantinou’s name had not been called and many were left wondering what happened.

All was not lost for the young and talented defenceman (as it shouldn’t be). He received an invitation to the Los Angeles Kings’ development camp in the summer and again to their training camp in September where, by most accounts, he impressed the Kings’ brass.

The Kings will certainly be keeping an eye on Constantinou as he strives to hear his name called next summer as he re-enters the NHL Draft and it shouldn’t come as a surprise if it is the Kings that call out his name in Montreal in 2020.

It’s not something new for the Kings. Back in 2011 they invited undrafted defenceman and Soo Greyhound Colin Miller to development camp and followed him closely during the 2011-2012 season. And they called out Miller’s name in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL Draft.

So why the pass on draft day?

Your guess is as good as anyone’s. Constantinou is a talented defenceman with great mobility. He can elude the forecheck and at times makes it look so easy. He is very good at creating offence. He needs some work on defending, but you can say that about any defencemen at this level.

Things started out promising for Constantinou during the 2018-2019 season, that being his draft season. He amassed 4 goals and 11 assists in 22 games playing for the mighty Niagara IceDogs. Then came a trade to the lowly Kingston Frontenacs.

At the time of the trade, Constantinou was neck-and-neck with Dallas Stars first round pick, 18^th overall, Thomas Harley in scoring among draft eligible defencemen. He was fifth among all draft eligible skaters in helpers to that point.

Once with the Frontenacs, his numbers dropped. In 44 contests with the Fronts, Constantinou scored 6 times while accumulating 12 helpers. Those aren’t bad numbers, but he ended up a minus-58 patrolling the Fronts blueline. And that, in my opinion, is indicative of a young and rebuilding Kingston organization.

That leads us to some questions that need to be asked. Was Constantinou a beneficiary of playing on a stacked Niagara squad? Does he possess the hockey IQ to play with a more talented roster? Is he more what we saw in Kingston, or is he somewhere in between?

This season should provide some answer to those questions. Through 8 games with the Fronts, Constantinou had a goal with 5 helpers. Pretty good numbers to say the least. But he was again in the minus column at minus-7. That is indicative of the type of season it was going to be as Kingston continued on its rebuilding path.

But on October 15^th, 2019 the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds came calling and acquired Constantinou for the low price of a 4^th round pick in 2020, a 4^th round pick in 2021 and a 3^rd round pick in 224.

It’s a small sample size, just 3 games into his Greyhounds career, but Constantinou has a goal and 2 assists for the Greyhounds. And for the first time since he tied on the skates with Niagara, he’s on the positive side of the ledger with a plus-3.

Now, we’ll get to see whether he can keep up with a more talented roster.

Height: 6’

Weight: 185 pounds

Date of birth: March 25^th, 2001

Hometown: Scarborough, Ontario

Position: Defence

Shoots: Right

OHL Draft: Round 2, 36^th overall, 2017 Priority Selection (Niagara IceDogs)

NHL Central Scouting Rankings: Pre-season, November: B Prospect. Mid-term, 54^th North America

Billy Constantinou played his Minor Midget AAA hockey during the 2016-2017 season for the Toronto Marlboros before he got a look with the Aurora Tigers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. The blue-liner appeared in 33 games for the Marlboros, scoring 3 goals and 16 assists. His brief stint with the Tigers had him score 2 goals in the OJHL.

The Niagara IceDogs would use their second-round pick, 36^th overall to select Constantinou at the 2017 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.

The 2017-2018 season was Constantinou’s first in the OHL and the IceDogs’ rookie defencemen had a good year notching 3 goals and 9 assists in 45 contests.

This season was turning out to be a breakout year for Constantinou. In 22 games to start the year, the rearguard was off to a great start with 4 goals and 11 assists and an impressive plus-12. In fact, by the end of November, the defenceman scoring race among draft eligible players was a two-horse race between Constantinou and Mississauga Steelheads, Thomas Harley. He was a model of consistency, going pointless back-to-back just twice in his time with the IceDogs.

On November 20, 2018 everything changed. The IceDogs were preparing to make a Memorial Cup run and Constantinou was traded along with Ian Martin and 11 draft picks for Jason Robertson and Jacob Paquette. Transitioning from a championship favorite to a rebuilding Kingston Frontenacs has definitely put a damper on his offensive production.

Through 27 games with the Fronts, Constantinou has managed 2 goals and 8 assists and a minus-34. The obvious question now becomes: Is the real Bill Constantinou the one we saw in Niagara or the one currently in Kingston? Or is he somewhere in between?

Everything about Constantinou’s skating is excellent, except that maybe he could add a step in his first couple strides. If his edgework, lateral movement, backwards skating and overall agility isn’t the best in the draft class, it’s definitely top-2. When carrying the puck, it allows him to slice through opponents almost at will.

Offensively, Constantinou has shown in his time with Niagara that he can play with a talented roster around him. His skating and high hockey IQ allows him to join in the rush. His excellent vision allows him to be a set up guy from the point. He can see and find even the smallest of lanes. His ability to move laterally and control the offensive blue line makes him an excellent powerplay quarterback.

Defensively, I don’t want to say the move to Kingston has exposed a flaw in his game. The horses aren’t there in Kingston and what it has done is forced him to play more on the defensive side of the puck. His gap control is very good. He recognizes the need and has the ability to keep players to the outside. Once he adds more muscle, he will become more adept at winning battles along the wall and in front of the paint. His strength has been and always will be the transition game with an excellent ability to clear his zone with an excellent first pass or to take care of business himself and skate out of danger.

Ask anyone who watches him play and the word that is most often spoken about Consantinou is “confidence”. That goes a long way to becoming successful.  

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