Konsta Helenius has remained on a steady trajectory toward earning a key role with the Buffalo Sabres since the franchise selected the Finnish center with the 14th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Helenius' bright future received another endorsement Monday when The Hockey News ranked him as one of the top 100 21-and-under hockey players in the world. He checked in at No. 99.
The accolade comes after the 19-year-old forward enjoyed a strong training camp and preseason with the Sabres before being returned to the AHL's Rochester Americans. He's recorded 15 points (five goals and 10 assists) in 19 games this season for the Amerks.
If Helenius maintains that high-level play, he'll likely make his NHL debut before the end of the 2025-26 season, especially if Buffalo is unable to shake its injury woes.
Konsta Helenius continues to receive league-wide recognition as Buffalo Sabres fans await his arrival
Helenius endured some expected growing pains early in his first year with Rochester, but he was playing great hockey by season's end. He scored six points in eight playoff appearances while often being matched up against the opponent's top line.
The 5-foot-11 center parlayed that into an impressive start to the current campaign, which brought him into the conversation for an Opening Night roster spot. Although that didn't happen, it continued to raise his stock from a prospect perspective.
Amerks head coach Michael Leone recently told Bill Hoppe of the Times Herald that Helenius has come a long way in a short time but there's still work to do.
"He's made big strides in his game, and he'll continue to make strides, but it's rounding out your game," Leone said. "If you think about elite centers in the NHL, they're all not just one dimensional; they're 200-footers. ... It's not poor, he just has to round out his game. You want to be good or you want to be great?"
Helenius has a real chance to become a great NHL player. While he'll probably never contend for the Art Ross Trophy as the league's top scorer, he could eventually push toward a point-per-game pace to go along with strong defensive impacts.
That's especially true if Josh Norris isn't able to overcome his consistent injury problems, which would open the door for the Finland native to possible emerge as the club's top-line center in the not-too-distant future.
For now, Helenius will continue to add to his already strong foundation by playing a critical nightly role for the Americans. Getting a lot of minutes in the AHL is a better option for this development compared to playing a niche fourth-line role in Buffalo.
All of the evidence from the moment the Sabres drafted him in June 2024 suggests it won't be long before he's in the NHL for good, though. It could happen as soon as the 2026-27 season.
Once he arrives, Buffalo will hope Helenius lives up to the ever-growing hype.