Jones, who along with Rosen and Konsta Helenius were named to the AHL All-Star Game, was recalled by the Sabres on Friday.
There is perhaps no defense-forward duo that has done more damage in the AHL this season than Rochester Americans forward Isak Rosen and defenseman Zac Jones.
Rosen, a first-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres, is tied for ninth with 18 goals in 24 games. Jones, who signed with the Sabres last summer, is tied for first among defensemen with 37 points in 32 games.
The pair, along with 19-year-old Konsta Helenius (30 points in 34 games), were both named to the 2026 AHL All-Star Game.
In his fourth season in the minors, Rosen has made the biggest improvement. Last year, he scored at a .46 rate. This year, he's producing .75 goals per game. He is already the highest-scoring U23 Swede in AHL history and he is on pace for 44 goals — which would be the most by a Swedish player in any individual AHL season.
“Every year I come here, and it gets better and better” says Rosen, who was selected 14th overall in 2021. “I think it comes down to shooting the puck and I know I can score goals. I use my skating to do that and I know that I have a pretty good shot so I try to use that.”
Rosen was rewarded with a call-up to Buffalo on Oct. 31, where he played 10 games and had seven points, including his first-ever NHL goal, a wrister that deflected off a Washington Capitals defenseman and snuck under the left arm of goalie Charlie Lindren.
“I remember it was probably one of the better feelings,” says Rosen. “Just a big relief, (as I) had a lot of games before scoring my first and was waiting for it. So yeah, great to score your first. It’s obviously a dream and then to help the team win too, it was awesome.”
Rosen was re-assigned to the minors on Nov. 23. Before he left, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff gave him some encouraging words: “It’s not the last we’re going to see of you this year,” he said.
Sure enough, Rosen was called up two more times to Buffalo, although those stints were nowhere near as long as his first call-up.
“(I try) to be good with my stick and skate a lot because that’s how I can cause turnovers and get the puck more to create more scoring chances,” said Rosen. “So, I think that’s what I realized too when I was in the NHL that that’s how I create chances a lot of the times and I think and that’s one thing I’m working on to be better on.”
While the Swede has had his moment in the NHL this season, Jones has yet to make his Sabres debut, although he has been called up once.
“The last couple of years being the scratch (and) being one of the seventh defencemen in New York has kind of prepared me for moments like this where I’m grateful for the opportunity to play hockey," said Jones, who played 115 games with the Rangers.
"I’m trying to do everything I can to make my way back up to the NHL at some point … so, I’m just trying to keep proving myself down here and whenever that time comes, it comes. I’m not trying to think about it too much.”
On Friday, the 25-year-old Jones was recalled after Jacob Bryson left Thursday's game against the Montreal Canadiens. Whether he finally gets into a game this year is not clear. But considering that he is projected to score 76 points this season, which would be tied for the ninth-highest by a defenceman in AHL history — the the most in 30 years — the Sabres could certainly use him.
"Obviously, I got to stay consistent throughout the year," said Jones. "You don’t get that many points without playing with good players.”
Of course, one of those players is Rosen. Out of the Swede’s eight power play goals, six have been assisted by Jones.
"I think he’s a great player. It’s so fun to see him every game," said Rosen. "I think he’s been good every game this season and … when you’re on the ice at the same time as him, you just try to find an open spot and he'll probably find you.”
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