Accolades are becoming old hat for Buffalo Sabres top prospect Konsta Helenius. The 20-year-old played nine games for the Sabres during the regular season, stepped in during the Stanley Cup Playoffs in impressive fashion, and scored the golden goal for Finland at the 2026 IIHF World Championships in Switzerland last month. On Wednesday, the American Hockey League named Helenius to their 2025-26 Top Prospects Team. The young center was named to the 2024-25 Top Prospects after making his Noreth American debut with 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) in 65 games with the Rochester Americans. This season, he led the Amerks with 62 points (21 goals, 41 assists) in 63 games, tying for ninth in AHL scoring and setting a franchise record for scoring by a teenager. Other Sabres Stories Sabres Emotionally Devastated By Game 7 Overtime Loss [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/sabres-emotionally-devastated-by-game-7-loss-to-montreal] Alex Tuch and his contract situation with the Sabres Forwards Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (DET), Ilya Protas(WAS), defensemen Carter Yakemchuk (OTT) and Adam Engstrom (MON), and goaltender Sergei Murashov (PIT) were also selected. The Sabres were fortunate at the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas two years ago after trading down three slots with the San Jose Sharks the day before the draft to garner an extra second-round pick. Helenius was thought of by many draft analysts as the most pro-ready forward next to top pick Macklin Celebrini after playing last season in the Finnish SM-Liiga, and for Finland at the Under-18’s, World Junior Championships and World Championships. After two full years in the AHL, it is highly likely that Helenius will not be seeing any time in the minors going forward. With the likely departure of Alex Tuch and possibly Beck Malenstyn in free agency, GM Jarmo Kekalainen will look to internal options like Jiri Kulich, Noah Ostlund, and Helenius in part to fill the void up front. It is also possible that the Sabres GM may be involved in what is expected to be a brisk trade market this summer, which might necessitate trading one or more of those prospects. It would have surprising however, to see the Sabres move Helenius, who seems very capable at a young age to make an impact in the NHL. Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo [https://twitter.com/MikeInBuffalo] THN.com/Free [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/5bb77158-7464-493c-930a-8b003ead88d5.jpeg] THN.com/Free
