The Buffalo Sabres held a narrow 2-1 lead with less than five minutes remaining in Tuesday night's preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets when top prospect Konsta Helenius received a hooking penalty to give the visitors a late power-play opportunity.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff, who put Helenius in the lineup for a second straight night after a strong performance during Monday's 4-0 win in Columbus, decided to give the 2024 first-round pick another chance after Buffalo killed off his penalty. He responded with a terrific shift in the defensive zone.
"Well, I looked at it two ways," Ruff told reporters. "I could have sat him, or I could see what his next shift was going to be like. I liked his answer after he took the penalty. Came out, gave us a heck of a shift and had an opportunity inside the zone where they could have beat him. ... His battle was real good."
The Sabres held on for the 2-1 win to sweep the home-and-home exhibition set with the Blue Jackets, and Helenius continued to make a strong case for NHL consideration in 2025-26.
Is it possible Konsta Helenius makes the Buffalo Sabres' 2025 Opening Night roster?
It didn't look like the Sabres had any roster spots available for prospects ahead of training camp. They had 13 veteran forwards under contract, and there would have been little reason for a highly touted young player like Helenius to sit in the press box as a healthy scratch.
The outlook has changed over the past week, though.
Buffalo announced Jordan Greenway suffered a setback in his recovery from a middle-body injury, which required surgery that'll keep him sidelined until early October. Fellow forward Alex Tuch has also missed time with an undisclosed injury, but he recently returned to practice.
Injuries aren't ideal for a team with limited depth, but they do create opportunities for young players to steal the spotlight. Helenius did exactly that in two games against the Blue Jackets.
The 19-year-old Finland native scored a goal and dished out seven hits in Monday's victory. It earned him a spot in Tuesday's lineup, and he proceeded to deliver the primary assist on Jason Zucker's game-winning goal in the third period.
"I think he's going to be a really good player in this league for a long time," Zucker told reporters.
Helenius enjoyed a solid first season in North America with the AHL's Rochester Americans last year. He recorded 35 points (14 goals and 21 assists) in 65 regular-season appearances. His rapid growth was on full display in the playoffs, tallying three goals and three helpers in eight postseason games.
Although the most likely outcome sees the 5-foot-11 center open the new campaign with the Amerks, he's at least forced Buffalo to consider giving him a shot in the NHL, especially if Tuch suffers a setback or another injury arises in the Sabres' top-nine forward group.
The franchise has often rushed top prospects to the big club during its 14-year playoff drought, which typically hindered or halted their development, and that must be considered. Yet, rising star's play so far in the preseason suggests he's getting close to being legitimately NHL ready.
Helenius will likely be given a few more exhibition games to showcase his two-way skill. Ruff and general manager Kevyn Adams will surely be watching closely as they begin to finalize their 23-man roster for the Oct. 9 season opener against the New York Rangers.
Even if Helenius isn't in the Sabres' lineup for Opening Night, it's clear his full-time NHL arrival is closer than it appeared even just a few weeks ago.