OTP - Helenius Needs To Play Top-Six Center In Rochester It is normal to conclude that the players taking the ice for the Buffalo Sabres this weekend at the 2024 Prospects Challenge are years away from making an impact on the NHL roster, but two players from the tournament last season (Zach Benson and Ryan Johnson) saw significant time with the Sabres last season. The club begins the three-day tournament on Friday against the Columbus Blue Jackets at the LECOM Harborcenter, and while the 22-man roster includes a number of intriguing prospects, there are four that could be in the mix to be this year's version of Benson and Johnson. Konsta Helenius – The 2024 first-rounder seems to be destined to start the season with AHL Rochester, especially if Sabres management’s goal is to play him at center. They have Tage Thompson, Dylan Cozens, and newly acquired Ryan McLeod slotted on the top three lines, but the chatter at the draft in Las Vegas was that the 18-year-old Finn was the most pro-ready prospect next to top pick Macklin Celebrini. An eye-opening performance this weekend could earn Helenius a longer look with top-line talent as Benson earned 12 months ago. Noah Ostlund – The 2022 first-rounder has high-end skill and did get a taste of North American hockey at the end of last season with the Amerks, but was slotted on the wing for the playoffs. Once again, developing him as a center likely means a stint in Rochester. Anton Wahlberg – Selected in the second round in 2023, Wahlberg’s size (6’3”, 194 lb.) is something that Amerks assistant coach Vaclav Prospal believes makes him a better fit for the North American game than playing in the SHL. The 19-year-old is young enough to play for Sweden in the World Junior Championships this December. Vsevolod Komarov – Potentially on a quicker track to the NHL than Johnson, the 20-year-old Russian is big (6’3”, 188 lb.), plays physically (105 PIMs last season), has offensive chops (69 points in 60 QMJHL games last season and named the league’s defenseman of the year), and is right-handed for the predominantly left-handed Sabres blueline. Komarov skated on Buffalo’s top power-play unit for the upcoming game vs. Columbus, and while Johnson had four years of NCAA experience before making his debut early last season, it is possible that Komarov gets a look later in the year if he makes the adjustment to the pro game and the Sabres need some physicality on the blueline. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA5MDMyMTYwODgyMDc1MjQ4/img_5780.jpg] LATEST THN BUFFALO STORIES Sabres Say They Are Ready For Accountability [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/sabres-say-they-are-ready-to-be-held-accountable] Ruff Sees Similarities Between Sabres And Former Club [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/ruff-sees-similarities-between-sabres-and-former-club] Ruff Hopes To Bring Winning Culture Back To Buffalo [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/ruff-hopes-to-bring-winning-culture-back-to-buffalo] Follow Michael on X @MikeInBuffalo [https://twitter.com/MikeInBuffalo]
