All eyes should be on Sabres top prospect Konsta Helenius next season.
The 2025-26 season was certainly a successful year for Buffalo Sabres prospect Konsta Helenius. The 20-year-old forward played in his first nine career NHL regular-season games with Buffalo, where he had one goal and four points. He also scored two goals in four playoff games for the Sabres this spring.
Down in the AHL with the Rochester Americans, Helenius took a massive step in the right direction with his development. In 63 games with Rochester this season, he had 21 goals and 62 points in 63 games. This is after the 2024 first-round pick had 14 goals and 35 points in 65 games with the Amerks during the 2024-25 season.
When looking at how well Helenius played this campaign, it is clear that he will be a big breakout candidate to watch for the Sabres next season. He demonstrated a lot of promise in his limited action with Buffalo this year, and it would not be shocking in the slightest if he cements himself a key player in the Sabres' lineup next season.
Helenius has the tools to emerge as a legitimate top-six forward in the NHL, and it will be interesting to see how big of a step forward he takes next season because of it. If he breaks out, it would be huge for an exciting Sabres team that is on the rise.