The Buffalo Sabres are considered to have one of the best prospect pools in the NHL, not only because of their selecting high in recent drafts but also due to their eye for talent and their organizational choices of either leaving players to develop in their home countries or bringing them to North America. All are 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals and have played less than 40 NHL games.
3. – KONSTA HELENIUS - C (ROCHESTER – AHL)
Helenius was the Sabres first-round pick (14th overall) at the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas after an impressive season in the SM-Liiga and internationally for Finland at three levels. The young center exceeded at the junior level at the age of 16 and played 33 games against adult competition, and played at the Under-18’s in 2023. At 17, Helenius had 36 points (14 goals, 22 assists) in 51 games for Jukurit, seven points in five games at the Under-18’s, played seven games at the IIHF World Juniors in Sweden, and saw limited action at the World Championships last May.
The Sabres were fortunate to have Helenius fall to them at 14th overall after many draft analysts labeled him nearly pro-ready after playing last season in the Finnish SM-Liiga, and for Finland at the Under-18’s, World Junior Championships, and World Championships. The 18-year-old center has adjusted to his first season in North America well, scoring 20 points (7 goals, 13 assists) in 39 games as a rookie, although he went goalless for 16 games before scoring against Belleville on February 7.
At the 2025 World Junior, he posted six assists in seven games, as Finland won the silver medal.
The Hockey Prospect Black Book said “Helenius can be characterized as a natural playmaking center who plays with an edge while offering a good amount of agility and craftiness……(his) biggest asset is his playmaking ability, (he) is a gifted passer, who can routinely make high end passes while at half and full speed. Much of his success as a playmaker is due to his ability to fluidly move through all three zones while baiting a level of pressure or attention that he’s able to handle, in order to open up options.”
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