BUFFALO – With less than a minute remaining in Monday’s 4-0 road win in Columbus, Sabres prospect Konsta Helenius grabbed a pass at the blue line and skated down the right wing toward Blue Jackets goalie Jet Greaves.
A scoring opportunity in the waning seconds of the preseason opener hardly seems important, especially when you’re up 3-0.
Still, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff wanted Helenius, 19, to convert his prime chance.
“If you’re going to be a player in this league, that’s one that you need to put away,” Ruff said this morning in KeyBank Center, where the Sabres host the Blue Jackets tonight.
When Helenius reached the circle, a Columbus defender slid by him, allowing him to unleash a wicked wrist shot and beat Greaves.
“It was good to see that he (scored),” said Ruff who noted the Finnish forward recently couldn’t capitalize on his chances during the Prospects Challenge rookie tournament.
Helenius, 4-0 #LetsGoBuffalo #CBJ pic.twitter.com/VgCEjtew4n
— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) September 23, 2025
Helenius, the 13th overall pick in 2024, will get another look tonight against the Blue Jackets. While he’s likely destined to begin the season with the Rochester Americans, he could certainly be in the mix to earn his first recall to Buffalo.
As a rookie last season in Rochester, he improved down the stretch, adapting to the North American game and showcasing a more rugged style.
Ruff and others have noticed.
“Competitive nature, the hardness he’s trying to play with, getting involved physically,” Ruff said of Helenius’ growth. “Even the prospect games, getting involved physically and trying to be a hard player. We know he’s got some real good skill.”
Now, the 5-foot-11, 190-pound youngster has more grit to complement his talent.
He scored five of his 14 regular-season goals in the final five games. He stood out during the Calder Cup Playoffs, recording three goals and six points in eight contests.
“It’s a different league where I played,” said Helenius, who spent two seasons playing pro against men in Finland. “You got to modify you’re game, like the game asks you to play.”
In other news, veteran goalie Alex Lyon is expected to start tonight and play 40 minutes before Devon Levi replaces him for the third period.
Tonight’s roster with the lines and defense pairs is below.
Forwards
– Zach Benson, Josh Norris and Tage Thompson
– Jason Zucker, Ryan McLeod and Helenius
– Viktor Neuchev, Jake Leschyshyn and Isak Rosen
– Tyler Kopff, Tyson Kozak and Mason Geertsen
Defense
– Mattias Samuelsson and Rasmus Dahlin
– Jacob Bryson and Conor Timmins
– Ryan Johnson and Zac Jones