HELENIUS NAMED TO 2025-26 AHL TOP PROSPECTS TEAM
Second-year pro produced the best season by a teenager in Amerks franchise history
Jun 10, 2026The American Hockey League announced today that Rochester Americans forward Konsta Helenius has been named to the AHL Top Prospects Team for the 2025-26 season.
Determined by the league’s hockey operations department in conjunction with AHL general managers, the AHL Top Prospects Team recognizes three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender projected to be the best future NHL players.
To qualify for the AHL Top Prospects Team, skaters must have been 22 years old or younger on the first day of the regular season and must have played at least 36 regular-season games in the AHL and no more than 30 regular-season games in the National Hockey League in 2025-26. Goaltenders must have been 23 or younger on opening night and have played at least 25 AHL games and no more than 20 NHL games during the regular season.
Named to the AHL Top Prospects Team for the second straight year, Helenius enjoyed a standout season with the Amerks in 2025-26, leading the team with 63 points (21+42) in 63 games and tying for ninth in scoring in the AHL. One of three different players to represent Rochester at the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic, he finished the season as the Amerks’ highest scoring teenager in franchise history in a single season, surpassing the 54 points set by Jozef Cierny during the 1992-93 campaign.
Helenius, who was one of four players to reach the 20-goal mark, also made his highly anticipated NHL debut this past season, picking up four points (1+3) in nine games with the Buffalo Sabres. In just his second NHL game against Nashville, he factored in on each of Buffalo's three first-period goals, becoming the seventh Finnish teenager in NHL history with a three-point game. He was also the first Sabres' skater in franchise history with a three-point outing within their first two contests.
He later rejoined the Sabres’ lineup for their final four playoff games in the Montreal series and scored a goal in back-to-back games, making him the youngest Buffalo skater (20 years and five days) to do so since Piere Turgeon.
Most recently, Helenius was front and center on the hockey world stage after scoring the golden goal in overtime to clinch a 1-0 victory for Finland in its gold medal game against host Switzerland on May 31 to bring a close to the 2026 IIHF World Championship.
The lone tally by Helenius capped a dominant run for the Finns, who went 8-1, including six straight wins to open the tournament, with their only loss coming to the Swiss during the preliminary round. Even more impressively, Finland outscored its opposition 40-14 while never allowing more than two goals in each of its eight victories on its way to capturing it second gold medal at the annual event since 2022.
For Helenius, who was added to Finland’s roster following the conclusion of Buffalo’s playoff run, it was his third goal of the tournament and sixth point in as many games. It was also his second straight game with a game-winning goal after coming up with the clincher in the 4-2 semifinal win over Canada.
Despite missing the first week of the tournament, the 20-year-old forward instantly became one of Finland’s top performers while playing right wing on the top line alongside NHL veterans Aleksander Barkov, a two-time Stanley Cup winner and current captain of the Florida Panthers, and Mikael Granlund, now a three-time gold medalist with Finland.
With Helenius’ selection, the Amerks have now been represented on each of the four AHL Top Prospects Teams since its creation following the 2022-23 season. He’s also the second Sabres prospect to be voted to the team in back-to-back years following Jiri Kulich, who was part of the inaugural group in 2022-23 before earning the honors again in 2023-24.
A native of Ylöjärvi, Finland, the 5-foot-11, 190-pound forward was Buffalo’s first-round selection (14th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Season Ticket Memberships for the 2026-27 season, which start as low as $22 per game, are on sale now and come with several Members-only perks and benefits. Full and Half Season Membership options are also available. For more information on Amerks Season Tickets or to sign up today, call 585-454-5335 or visit www.amerks.com/memberships.
2025-26 AHL Top Prospects Team
Goaltender — Sergei Murashov, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Defenseman — Adam Engström, Laval Rocket
Defenseman — Carter Yakemchuk, Belleville Senators
Forward — Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Grand Rapids Griffins
Forward — Konsta Helenius, Rochester Americans
Forward — Ilya Protas, Hershey Bears