Sabres' Konsta Helenius: Nets first career playoff goal
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Helenius scored a goal on two shots in Thursday's 6-3 loss to the Canadiens in Game 5.
Helenius was recalled among the Sabres' Black Aces on April 29. The Sabres gave him a chance to play in Game 4 of the second round and kept him in the lineup for Game 5, when he delivered his first career playoff goal. He's added five shots on net and two hits over two appearances this postseason. Helenius had 63 points in 63 regular-season outings with AHL Rochester, and he should be in a good position to compete for a roster spot out of training camp in 2026-27.
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Sabres' Konsta Helenius: Tallies again in Game 6 win
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Helenius scored a goal on two shots and blocked two shots in Saturday's 8-3 win over the Canadiens in Game 6.
Helenius has tallied in each of the last two games, making himself a quick regular in the Sabres' bottom six. The 20-year-old's goal Saturday put the Sabres ahead 5-3 in a game they once trailed 3-1. Helenius has added seven shots on net, three blocked shots, two hits and a plus-2 rating over three playoff outings. Given his role, the offense isn't likely to last, but it's a good sign he's showing he can handle a high-pressure situation.
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Sabres' Konsta Helenius: Hat trick for Rochester
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Helenius scored three goals in AHL Rochester's 6-3 win over Hartford on Sunday.
Helenius ended his multi-game drought that stemmed back to January with this big outing. For the season, Helenius is up to 18 goals, 48 points, 123 shots on net and a minus-9 rating over 50 appearances. The 19-year-old has done well over two years in the AHL, so it doesn't look like it'll be long before he gets an NHL opportunity.
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Sabres' Konsta Helenius: Buries two goals in AHL win
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Helenius scored twice in AHL Rochester's 4-1 win over Utica on Saturday.
Helenius saw time with the Sabres prior to the Olympic break, and he's earned three goals and three assists over three outings since returning to the AHL. That should help him remain in contention for a call-up once the NHL season resumes. Helenius has 36 points in 37 AHL contests, surpassing his total of 35 points from 65 games in the 2024-25 regular season.
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Sabres' Konsta Helenius: Reassigned after Thursday's game
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Helenius was reassigned to AHL Rochester on Thursday.
Helenius will get steady playing time with Rochester while the NHL is on its Olympic break. The 19-year-old has four points in his first nine NHL contests. If the team is still hurting up front after the break, Helenius would seem to be a likely candidate to return to the big club.
Sabres' Konsta Helenius: First three points of career
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Helenius scored a goal and recorded two assists in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Predators.
Helenius made his NHL debut on Monday, and it took him only two games to leave his mark on the scoresheet. The 19-year-old winger is currently playing on the third line, but if he adjusts quickly to the pace of the NHL, he could be in line for a bigger role in the second half of the season. He probably won't produce like this regularly, but the 19-year-old is worth monitoring in dynasty formats due to his outstanding potential.
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Sabres' Konsta Helenius: Promoted from minors
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Helenius was recalled from AHL Rochester on Thursday, Heather Engel of NHL.com reports.
Helenius has been lighting it up in the minors, racking up nine goals and 21 helpers in 34 appearances for the Americans. The 19-year-old center will likely serve as an emergency depth option versus Montreal on Thursday, though he would be making his NHL debut if he got into the lineup ahead of Tyson Kozak.
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Sabres' Konsta Helenius: Racks up three points Wednesday
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Helenius scored a goal and added two assists in AHL Rochester's 6-1 win over Belleville on Wednesday.
Helenius has a point in 10 of Rochester's last 11 games, earning five goals and eight assists in that stretch. The 19-year-old has acclimated well to North America over the last two seasons. He had 35 points in 65 regular-season outings as a rookie last year, and he's up to nine goals, 23 points and 73 shots on net through 25 appearances this season. The Sabres will still want to let him dominate the AHL for a while before giving him a shot at an NHL job.
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Sabres' Konsta Helenius: Dominant in AHL win
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Helenius scored twice on six shots and added two assists in AHL Rochester's 4-0 win over Laval on Friday.
Prior to Friday, Helenius was off to a slow start. He now has five points and 19 shots over six games with the Americans. The 19-year-old is playing above his age group, but it would still look good if he can improve on the 14-goal, 35-point performance he had for Rochester over 65 regular-season games in 2024-25.
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Sabres' Konsta Helenius: Working through slump
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Helenius was held off the scoresheet for the 10th time in his past 12 AHL outings Tuesday.
Helenius has been something of a mixed bag in his rookie season with Rochester. He enjoyed a four-game goal-scoring streak from Nov. 1-8 and collected six assists across four appearances from Feb. 11-20, but he also went scoreless in seven of eight outings from Nov. 9-27, in addition to his recent slump. Some degree of inconsistency isn't shocking for a young player -- Helenius is still just 18 -- and especially for one transitioning to North American hockey. He previously recorded 14 goals and 36 points in 51 regular-season appearances with Jukurit Mikkeli of Finland's Liiga in 2023-24. It seems fair to believe that Helenius needs more time to develop in the minors, but he has a lot of potential. The Sabres selected him with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
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Sabres' Konsta Helenius: Returning to AHL
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Helenius will rejoin AHL Rochester after playing for Finland at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Helenius played in all seven games for Finland, generating zero goals and six assists. Selected with the 14th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, the 18-year-old center will look to build upon a strong first season in North America after racking up six goals and 11 helpers in 28 games for the Americans. If he continues to produce, Helenius could be in line for a call-up at some point this year.
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