Following a good career in Finland, Konsta Helenius immediately made an impression in North America, and the Sabres prospect recently gained notice.
In case you haven’t heard, Konsta Helenius, a Sabres prospect, was recently honored by being selected to the AHL’s 2024–25 All-Prospects Team. Although some would have anticipated that the first-round selection would receive such high appreciation, what’s remarkable in this case is that Helenius was the youngest player in the league to secure consistent playing time in the second-tier professional league in North America.
That’s enormous, and it demonstrated to us that Helenius picked up the North American game quickly after putting up solid results in Liiga in 2023–2024. Helenius scored 14 goals and contributed 35 points in 65 games during the Amerks’ regular season. To complete his first season, he added three goals and six more points across eight postseason games.
Helenius, who I had assumed would have been long gone by the time the Sabres selected him last season, will undoubtedly make his NHL debut sometime next year. Expect him to be one of the “next men up” in case an injury necessitates a recall, even if he is probably a year away from becoming a full-time member of the Blue and Gold.
When camp arrives in September, Konsta Helenius will be entertaining to watch.
Although it might seem far off, training camp won’t be here for another 100 days, if that. Additionally, there could be vacancies in the lineup due to the numerous rumors circulating around JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch, giving Helenius a chance to push for a position.
This is, of course, assuming the Sabres don’t fill those positions with seasoned veterans. But even then, they’ll give Helenius a measuring stick.
If Helenius can stick around camp until the last round of cuts before the Sabres reassign him to the Amerks, you can get excited about the 19-year-old, and that, despite all the turmoil in the organization, the Blue and Gold could’ve landed a ringer.
Yes, it requires cautious optimism, especially if the Sabres pawn off Peterka. Here, you had a player who put up 68 points this season end up going elsewhere the moment he broke out. What’s not to say the same thing happens with Helenius a few years down the road?
And why stop there? Dylan Cozens looked like a brewing star, but he fizzled out. Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart were good players for the Sabres, only to win Stanley Cups elsewhere. We can go on and on here. But, at some point, history stops repeating itself.
No guarantees Konsta Helenius goes the same way as other Sabres players
Yeah, some pro teams at hockey’s highest level act as a glorified ‘farm system’ for other organizations. That will become clearer if Tuch, Peterka, and defenseman Bowen Byram are wearing different uniforms.
But it doesn’t mean it needs to be the case with Helenius. Maybe he’s another Tage Thompson or Rasmus Dahlin? Players more likely to stick around.
That said, Helenius looks like he’s on the verge of a breakout at the AHL level, and it won’t be long until he’s a full-time NHLer, presumably with the Sabres. And even if things don’t end well in the Tuch, Peterka, and Byram camps, we don’t need to automatically think Helenius will emerge, evolve, break out, then go elsewhere.
So, he might just be the Sabres next great prospect, and one who could stick around longer than a few others have.
