There were many great moments from the Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 season. One of them was the arrival of top prospect Konsta Helenius, as the 20-year-old forward showed that he can already make an impact in the NHL when given the chance. Helenius appeared in his first career NHL regular-season games, where he had one goal and four points. He also played in four playoff games for the Sabres this spring, where he posted two goals and a plus-1 rating. With this, the 2024 first-round pick showed plenty of promising with the Sabres this campaign, and he is a prime breakout candidate to watch heading into the 2026-27 season. When looking at how well Helenius played in the AHL this season, too, it is hard not to be excited about his future with the Sabres. In 63 games this campaign with the Rochester Americans, the skilled forward posted 21 goals, 42 assists, and 63 points. This is after he had 14 goals and 35 points in 65 games during the 2024-25 season with Rochester, so he has taken a major step forward in his development. With Helenius being only 20 years old and already putting up numbers like this in the AHL, the Sabres could really have something special in him. The potential for him to emerge as the Sabres' next big star is there, as he has the skill and offensive talent to be a high-impact forward in the NHL. It is going to be fascinating to see how Helenius continues to develop his game from here.
