Konsta Helenius – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #15 Buffalo Sabres – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Fri, 01 May 2026 22:00:37 +0000

RALEIGH, NC - JANUARY 19: Center Konsta Helenius (94) of the Buffalo Sabres skates into the zone to follow the play during the NHL game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Carolina Hurricanes on January 19, 2026 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Katherine Gawlik/Icon Sportswire)

Prospect System Ranking – 15th (Last year - 18th)
GM: Jarmo Kekalainen Hired: December 2025
COACH: Lindy Ruff Hired: April 2024

The time is now in Buffalo. Following the mid-season dismissal of long-time general manager Kevyn Adams, the Sabres have found new life under Jarmo Kekäläinen. Since the change, the club has surged up the standings to finish atop the Atlantic Division and in the postseason for the first time since 2011. Regardless of where you stand with the Sabres, most will agree that the league is better when the Buffalo Sabres are competitive. And this year, we may finally get to see what that looks like after a 14-year absence.

In support of that push, the Sabres took an aggressive approach at the trade deadline, prioritizing immediate roster upgrades over long-term assets. The organization moved several 2026 draft picks and parted with young players, including Isak Rosen, in an effort to strengthen the NHL lineup. There was even a near-deal involving top prospect and 2025 first-round selection Radim Mrtka, though a declined trade from Colton Parayko ultimately kept him in Buffalo. Combined with Noah Östlund's graduation, those moves have kept the prospect pool in a more middle-of-the-pack standing.

The system is now led by Konsta Helenius, who has already seen NHL action, with Anton Wahlberg close behind as another forward expected to contribute in the near future. Finally ready for the next step, their core is what truly defines the organization’s trajectory. With players such as Jack Quinn (24), Zach Benson (20), Tage Thompson (27), Noah Östlund (22), Jiří Kulich (21), Bowen Byram (24), Owen Power (23), and Rasmus Dahlin (25), the Sabres possess one of the youngest and most dynamic groups in the league.

For Buffalo, the focus has clearly shifted from building for the future to capitalizing on the present — and for the first time in years, that approach appears to be paying off.

NHL	RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	2024-25 TM	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
Buf	1	Radim Mrtka	D	18	6-6/220	Seattle (WHL)	43	1	33	34	38
Buf	1	Radim Mrtka	D	18	6-6/220	Rochester (AHL)	8	0	1	1	7
Buf	2	Konsta Helenius	C	20	5-11/190	Rochester (AHL)	63	21	41	62	22
Buf	2	Konsta Helenius	C	20	5-11/190	Buffalo (NHL)	9	1	3	4	0
Buf	3	Anton Wahlberg	C	20	6-3/195	Rochester (AHL)	68	9	29	38	20
Buf	4	Vsevolod Komarov	D	22	6-2/182	Rochester (AHL)	55	4	7	11	60
Buf	5	Brodie Ziemer	RW	20	5-11/195	Minnesota (NCAA)	36	23	13	36	26
Buf	6	Adam Kleber	D	20	6-6/215	Minnesota Duluth (NCAA)	40	3	9	12	19
Buf	7	Luke Osburn	D	19	6-1/170	Wisconsin (NCAA)	33	6	15	21	18
Buf	8	Gavin McCarthy	D	20	6-2/195	Boston University (NCAA)	36	4	17	21	40
Buf	8	Gavin McCarthy	D	20	6-2/195	Rochester (AHL)	5	0	0	0	4
Buf	9	Nikita Novikov	D	22	6-4/198	Roc-Ont (AHL)	64	6	14	20	52
Buf	10	Maxim Strbak	D	21	6-2/205	Rochester (AHL)	2	0	1	1	0
Buf	11	Jake Richard	RW	21	6-1/170	Connecticut (NCAA)	38	10	17	27	42
Buf	12	Prokhor Poltapov	LW	23	6-0/176	CSKA Moskva (KHL)	68	16	24	40	28
Buf	13	Ryan Rucinski	C	19	5-10/175	Youngstown (USHL)	59	27	35	62	88
Buf	14	Melvin Novotny	LW	19	6-2/185	Muskegon (USHL)	48	22	35	57	26
Buf	15	Noah Laberge	D	19	6-1/185	Newfoundland (QMJHL)	62	7	49	56	41

Radim Mrtka, D, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) (Rochester Americans, AHL)

After spending most of the Sabres training camp with the big club, Mrtka was assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, playing in their first four games. He played mostly even strength, averaging about 17 minutes of ice time. After the four games with Rochester, Mrtka was reassigned to his WHL team, the Seattle Thunderbirds. Mrtka has been averaging about 26 minutes of ice time per game with Seattle, playing on both the power play and the penalty kill. Mrtka was also a standout for Czechia at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championships, where he helped the team win a silver medal. Mrtka’s game has been trending into that of a two-way defenceman. He likes to be involved in the offensive zone and will join the rush with regularity. His passing has continued to improve and he’s averaging almost an assist per game in the WHL this season. His defensive play is also trending in the right direction. He uses positioning, awareness, and reach to defend but isn’t afraid to be physical. He projects to be a top four NHL Defenceman currently.
Konsta Helenius, C, Rochester Americans (AHL)

There is a lot of young talent emerging in Buffalo’s system and Konsta Helenius is solidifying himself as one of the elites. Helenius has set a career-high in points, besting last year’s total in 25 fewer games. Nothing quite stands out like his sheer determination and effort to constantly be in and around loose puck battles. For a 5-foot-11 center, Helenius is tenacious on the puck and doesn’t give it up easily. He’s not the fastest, but he has a high motor, and when other players start to fade, Helenius is still going. On offence, he uses his edges to create separation and on the defensive end, it allows him to effectively shadow puck carriers. He’s a playmaker first, although he’s not afraid to unleash shots. Even though Helenius is a two-way center, he isn’t tasked with killing penalties. If he can develop into a reliable penalty killer, there will be little excuse to keep him in Rochester any longer. A top-six center is a reasonable projection, but his versatility may see Helenius play more on the wing and in a support role for now.
Anton Wahlberg, C, Rochester Americans (AHL)

With all of the high-profile prospects in Rochester, Anton Wahlberg often flies under the radar. Wahlberg is having a slightly better season than last year, although he is still hovering around the 0.5 point per game mark. His offence is built on using his frame to hold possession of the puck. He leverages his weight often by applying a lot of force and then dropping off defenders to get separation quickly. Wahlberg’s skating can be kind of clunky at times, which can limit the pace he plays at. When Wahlberg really gets going, he impacts the game heavily, but there are times when he can be floating around. Wahlberg played on the wing and down the middle at times for Rochester and has had success at both positions. If Rosen and Helenius are in Buffalo next season, Wahlberg will need to step up as a primary scorer for Rochester. Establishing an offensive identity will go a long way for Wahlberg. He projects as a middle six forward.
Vsevolod Komarov, D, Rochester Americans (AHL)

Vsevolod Komarov, in his second season, is projected to roughly equal his point totals from his rookie campaign. The increase in production hasn’t been there and a lot of that comes down to his consistency in creating offence. He’ll show flashes of joining the rush or starting it himself to enter the offensive zone. Komarov isn’t an outstanding passer, but he shows some deception in his puck movement that will make him a better one down the line. He’s a big, physical presence on the blue line and being a right-shot makes him a more valuable asset. There is a lot of blue-line depth in Buffalo right now, so there isn’t any need to rush his development to make him NHL-ready. The Sabres organization will afford him a lot of minutes in Rochester as he continues to grow his offence, so by the time they need him, he will be a seasoned pro. At the NHL level, Komarov can be a bottom four defenceman who provides secondary scoring.
Brodie Ziemer, RW, University of Minnesota (NCAA)

Ziemer’s offensive game has continued to grow since being selected in the third round by the Sabres in 2024. He was a very strong presence in all three zones in his draft year, who played hard and detailed at both ends of the ice. But his offence has improved over the last two seasons, and especially this season. After being under a point-per-game in the USHL in his draft year (0.89 points per game rate) to producing at 0.61 points per game in his first collegiate season. This year, however, he is up over a point per game with Minnesota. His goal-scoring has become a focal point, as his shots-on-goal rate has gone up significantly, from 2.3 shots on goal per game to 3.5 this year. But it isn’t just volumetric improvement, it’s how he is creating those shots. His shots from the slot went up from 2.19 per game in his first NCAA season to 3.08 this season. The way he generated offence was always off of his willingness to get to the dirty areas and get tips and finish rebounds. But this year, he’s been able to generate chances for himself as a shooter, while he has built on his already solid stickhandling and high-end motor to drive the net. He projects as a middle six forward option in the NHL, but his stock is absolutely rising.
Adam Kleber, D, University of Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA)

Kleber has always been known as a defensively stout, stay-at-home type. Offence has never been his focal point, staying more responsible and taking the simple play to keep pucks from being in his own end. Skating and that lack of upside offensively were the biggest hurdles towards making that jump to the NHL level. He’s improved steadily as a skater since joining the University of Minnesota-Duluth. His edges, more specifically, have improved noticeably. His pivots and change of direction abilities have improved, while his straight-line skating looks a bit quicker. He has also shown more of a willingness to be involved on breakouts and entries. That improvement is arguably the most important as it pertains to his path to an NHL role. He projects as more of a bottom-pair defender still, but that projection is a bit cleaner with his notable developments in college. His style and ability in his own end will be coveted by any coach who brings him on.
Luke Osburn, D, University of Wisconsin (NCAA)

Osburn is a two-way defender who has been on an upward trajectory since he was drafted. In his two USHL seasons, Osburn showed off his ability to defend against the rush and play physical in doing so. He also showcased his strong instincts when it came to puck-moving. It took him a full year in the USHL before his production reached a high level, going from 23 points in 60 games in his first season to 41 points in 55 games in his second year. He then went on to join the University of Wisconsin in the NCAA, where his offence has transitioned quite well, without losing his defensive efficiency. His puck-moving ability has cleanly translated to the NCAA as well, which is arguably the biggest positive in his development since being drafted. In fact, he leads the Badgers defenders in successful zone entries and is second amongst defencemen in successful breakouts. His ability to move the puck and consistent offensive production despite moving up a level is exactly what the Buffalo Sabres could have hoped for out of their defensive prospect. He looks like a potential puck-moving middle-pair defender who can pair up with most players and play whatever role is needed.
Gavin McCarthy, D, University of Boston (NCAA) (Currently with Rochester Americans, AHL)

McCarthy has always been known as more of a shut-down defender, who plays a physical brand of hockey that many NHL teams would love to have on their blueline. While his offence will likely never be a strong suit, he has seen his point pace grow with each NCAA season. In his first collegiate season with Boston University, he scored five points in 38 games. He followed that up the next year with 16 points in 39 games. Now, this season, he matched his previous season's point totals in eight less games. The Terriers captain still plays with that physical edge and is still a shut-down defender, but he clearly plays with more confidence in the offensive end. His decision-making looks faster than in prior years as well, which is an important detail in his development. He still projects as more of a bottom-pair defender, as he still doesn’t have much of a high ceiling. But he should be well-liked by his future coaches and could be an important depth piece who eats up the toughest minutes for an NHL team down the line.
Nikita Novikov, D, Rochester Americans (AHL)

In three seasons with Rochester, Nikita Novikov has not improved any aspect of his game significantly, with his production remaining largely the same since he came into the league. Coming into his third season with the Americans, you’d think Novikov would be pushing for at least a depth spot with Buffalo, but that just isn’t the case. A lot of the same issues still plague his game. He doesn’t have the speed to carry the puck effectively, he takes a lot of penalties and makes his fair share of misplays in his own end. He’s a featured penalty killer who does well in that role. It’s fair to say at this point the offensive side of his game won’t improve that much, but if Novikov can be relied upon in the defensive zone as a shutdown guy, you’re looking at a No. 6 or No. 7 NHL defenceman.
Maxim Strbak, D, Michigan State University (NCAA) (Currently with Rochester Americans, AHL)

While the offensive side of things hasn’t really come around at Michigan State, Strbak remains a promising stay at home defender thanks to his size, mobility, and strength down low. Strbak possesses excellent mobility and when you combine that with his physical effectiveness, you have a defender who can suffocate the top offensive players on the opposing team. He’s also a fierce competitor who blocks shots and finishes checks in puck pursuit. In his draft year, Strbak flashed offensive upside thanks to some creativity with the puck and the ability to combine that with his strong skating ability. He’s been a solid point producer for Slovakia internationally too. However, that part of his game just hasn’t blossomed at the NCAA level. He often opts to play a safer game, rarely leading the charge offensively out of his own zone, or taking liberties with the puck. A prime candidate to turn pro later this season, it will be interesting to see Strbak fit into the Sabres’ system. The hope has to be that he can become Buffalo’s version of Tampa’s Erik Cernak.
Jake Richard, RW, University of Connecticut (NCAA)

Richard hasn’t been able to replicate the offensive success of his breakout last year at UConn, but he’s still a solid middle six prospect who can make plays through traffic and protect the puck.
Prokhor Poltapov, LW, CSKA Moscow (KHL)

Poltapov continues to make progress in Russia, emerging as a quality offensive player in the KHL. He still has another year on his KHL deal, so don’t expect to see him in North America until 2027.
Ryan Rucinski, C, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)

A late-round pick last year, Rucinski is a competitive, but skilled forward who has been one of the USHL’s top players this year. He’ll attend Ohio State next season.
Melvin Novotny, LW, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)

Like Rucinski, Novotny was also a late round pick last year who has been a standout in the USHL this season. The difference is that this is Novotny’s first year in North America. He’s committed to UMass for next season.
Noah Laberge, D, Newfoundland Regiments (QMJHL)

Laberge has steadily improved as a two-way defender over his three seasons in the QMJHL. Now he’ll head to Northeastern in hopes of continuing to improve his projection as a possible third pairing NHL defender.

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – BUFFALO SABRES – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #18

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 16:46:42 +0000

Prospect System Ranking – 18th (May 2025 - 22nd)
GM: Kevyn Adams Hired: June 2020
COACH: Lindy Ruff Hired: April 2024

Despite having gone 14 consecutive seasons without a playoff berth, the Buffalo Sabres’ prospect pool lacks strong depth. It’s been a year since the Matthew Savoie trade, but his departure, coupled with several key graduations, has thinned the pipeline to a level not seen in Buffalo for some time.

The graduations of J.J. Peterka and Jiří Kulich to full-time NHL roles have been particularly impactful. What remains is a group of promising prospects, many paying their dues in the AHL. Konsta Helenius, Noah Östlund, and Anton Wahlberg all made the jump to North America this season to join Rochester, while Isak Rosen took a big step forward, leading the Americans in scoring with a career-high 55 points.

There’s still reason for optimism, though. This summer’s ninth overall pick, Radim Mrtka, adds yet another towering defensive piece to the mix. And at the NHL level, the core remains young and talented—Jack Quinn (23), Zach Benson (19), Tage Thompson (27), Bowen Byram (23), Owen Power (22), and Rasmus Dahlin (25) give Buffalo a foundation that few rebuilding teams can match.

With so much young talent already in place, the narrative of “nobody deserves it more” continues to grow louder in Western New York.

Buffalo Sabres Top-15 Prospects

1 - Radim Mrtka

The Sabres had already amassed a deep and diverse collection of young assets in recent years, yet they somehow still managed to add a uniquely new piece to the puzzle in the 2025 draft when they selected Mrtka. Defending has been more of a problem for the organization lately than scoring has, and their immediate outlook isn't any different, so the 6-foot-6 blueliner's services will be desperately needed in Buffalo as soon as he's ready. His game is all about efficiency and consistency, using his smarts, conditioning, enormous reach and abundance of strength to grind down or outright halt opposing scoring chances. There's also some genuine offensive pop to him as well, which might get to show itself more often once he's not playing upwards of 30 minutes per night, like he did both in the WHL with the Seattle Thunderbirds and internationally with his native Czechia. Mrtka is a player who gets results, even if it’s not always in the most entertaining of ways.

2 - Konsta Helenius

Helenius had a quietly respectable debut season in the AHL, holding his own as the only 18-year-old playing their full campaign in the league. He was ready to take on that rare challenge after playing professionally against men the two prior seasons in the Liiga in Finland. While his production as a rookie with Rochester might not jump off the page, it was quite impressive when factoring in the context of his age and that being his first season of hockey in North America. He is an exceptionally smart and tenacious forward who loves to push the pace of play and isn't afraid to battle in tough areas, even in spite of his smaller size. He gets a lot of puck touches with his anticipation and hustle and has quick-strike offensive ability. It's safe to project Helenius as a future NHLer in some capacity, which could be on a scoring line or in more of a support role.

3 - Noah Östlund

Östlund had a big breakout year in 2024-25, finding a whole new level to his game. Making matters even more impressive, he accomplished that in his very first season in North America. Surely the deep and talented collection of other Swedes playing with him on the AHL's Rochester Americans helped make that cross-Atlantic transition easier for him. Primarily a playmaker by nature, he has worked to round out his game and now has a stronger goal-scoring element as well. At the same time, though, he still has a lot of improving left to do when it comes to getting his strength and speed up to an NHL level, which was evident in the handful of games this year where he suited up for the Sabres. Östlund could be a pretty exciting talent once he has fully matured physically, and with Buffalo’s young depth they can afford to be patient with him.

4 - Isak Rosén

"Slow and steady" continues to be the mantra for Rosén as he works his way toward full-time NHL duty. 2024-25 was his fourth full season of hockey since being drafted and give him credit where it's due: he has gotten better year-over-year. While that's impressive in its own right, the flip side of the coin is that he has yet to truly cement himself as an NHLer in the same way that many other top players from his draft class already have. And unless he really blows people away in training camp and preseason, he's on track for another AHL-heavy season in 2025-26, which will be the last one where the Sabres can send him down there without taking the risk of him being plucked on waivers. He still has plenty of speed to burn, and you can't teach his finishing instincts. This will be a crucial year for determining whether or not those strengths will be enough to carry Rosén, or if he can add other elements to his game.

5 - Anton Wahlberg

Wahlberg doesn’t get nearly enough hype among Sabres prospects. There are just so many different things to like about him, starting with his useful blend of size, mobility and puck skill. He’s comfortable playing center and on the wing. He’s been a mainstay for Sweden internationally in recent junior-aged tournaments, picking up a collection of medals along the way. And if all of that isn’t enough, his roots give him an edge over most, with a father who was a longtime pro who then became a coach, and a twin brother who currently plays in the SHL. There were only a small handful of teenagers who played all of their 2024-25 seasons in the AHL, and Wahlberg did so while also producing the fourth-most points of that group. Will he ever become a true star in the NHL? Probably not. But you could bet money right now on him eventually making it to that level and becoming a valuable piece of a roster puzzle.

6 - Vsevolod Komarov

Is there anyone, single archetype of young player that NHL teams cover these days more so than big, mean, right-shot defenders who can contribute in all situations? Probably not. That's why it's so remarkable that the Sabres found Komarov, a prospect who fits that description quite well, all the way down in the fifth round of the 2022 draft. The Russian blueliner flourished under the tutelage of head coach Patrick Roy in Quebec City, winning one QMJHL championship with the Remparts in 2023 before getting traded to Drummondville and winning another the very next season with the Voltigeurs. He’s pretty bold and tough for a player his age, leading the Americans in penalty minutes this year, and if his time in junior is any indication there’s going to be more offence still to come for him at the professional levels. Don’t sleep on Komarov as someone who could become a mainstay in Buffalo sooner rather than later.

7 - Adam Kleber

Throughout last season, Kleber has shown steady growth as a shutdown-style defenceman. His physicality, defensive awareness, and commitment to playing a structured game have been consistent strengths. He effectively uses his size to win board battles, clear the net front, and maintain strong gap control. His penalty killing abilities are notable, demonstrating smart reads and an active stick. While his offensive contributions remain limited, his decision making under pressure has improved, particularly in breakout situations. However, skating remains a weakness, with below-average speed and agility, and his hands and puck skills need further development. Kleber’s progression suggests a solid foundation as a bottom-pairing, defence-first player at higher levels. Continued improvement in his skating mechanics and puck-handling will be essential for securing a professional contract. Averaging top four minutes as a freshman, his reliability in defensive roles is evident, making him a valuable asset for penalty kill situations and shutdown assignments on professional teams.

8 - Maxim Strbak

Maxim Strbak, a second-round pick by the Buffalo Sabres in 2023, made noticeable strides in his sophomore season at the NCAA level, particularly on offence. He jumped from nine to 19 points at Michigan State, as well as producing over a point per game at the World Juniors for the second straight tournament. With the puck, Strbak has some skill and can be creative, but his decision making can get him into trouble at times. Fortunately, the focal point of his game is how dependable he is on defence. Strbak is excellent at defending in his own zone, he’s competitive, positionally sound, and can play physically. If he continues to develop his decision-making and gains confidence handling the puck, Strbak could project as a well-rounded defenceman. At this stage, however, his NHL ceiling appears limited to a bottom-pair role. He’s heading back to Michigan State again this season.

9 - Brodie Ziemer

Ziemer showed notable progression last season, transitioning effectively to the college game. Early on, he established himself as a reliable presence on Minnesota's top six, excelling in puck support, forechecking, and backchecking. His ability to create space and generate offensive opportunities through effective puck handling and smart decision making was evident. As the season progressed, Ziemer demonstrated his adaptability by complementing highly skilled players, using his tenacity and awareness to contribute consistently. Strengths include his strong two-way play, puck management, and positional awareness. His determination in battles and willingness to go to the net make him a valuable asset. However, his skating and overall skill has been good enough to maintain top six minutes with the Gophers. Ziemer projects as a complementary middle six forward with special teams versatility, contributing in both offensive and defensive situations. With continued development in his skating, he has the potential to solidify this role at the professional level.

10 - Jake Richard

The big winger was a breakout star in 2024-25 emerging as one of the top offensive talents in the NCAA as a sophomore. Continued improvements to his skating/explosiveness have helped Richard unlock his potential and he’ll return to UConn for his junior team in hopes of contending for the Hobey Baker. Richard is at his best deep in the offensive zone; he’s in his office behind the opposing goal operating as a playmaker or at the net front trying to deposit second chances. His work rate in the offensive zone is excellent and he fights to earn his touches; his game is mature and should translate well to the pro game when he eventually makes that leap. It’s part of why he has dominated Sabres’ development camp the last few years. While Richard’s projection as a middle six piece hasn’t necessarily changed, the probability of him reaching that upside has improved dramatically.

11 - Nikita Novikov

After several seasons of KHL play, Novikov has put in two straight productive seasons on Rochester’s blueline (including a +28 this past season), which has the ideally sized defender looking ready to push for an NHL depth job. A jack of all trades type, he’ll need to prove that his positionally sound play in all three zones can temper a couple of mobility issues. As things are, Novikov will have to wait for trades or injuries to get a look.

12 - Prokhor Poltapov

A 2021 second rounder, the somewhat flamboyant Poltapov only just broke through as a true scorer in the KHL this past season, finishing second in scoring on his rather loaded CSKA team. It’s a good thing too as we finally saw considerable improvement in his decision making and use of his teammates, even if we’ve been excited about one day seeing his puck-protection and stickhandling skills on the smaller ice surface. That’ll wait as he has two more years on his KHL contract.

13 - Viktor Neuchev

A bit undersized and baby faced, Neuchev is entering the final year of his ELC and has already provided his fair share of dazzling entertainment to AHL audiences. With gradual all-round improvement since coming to North America, he was on pace for over 40 points this past season before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in March. Looking ready for camp, it’s about time for him to become more of a play-driving power play component in the AHL.

14 - Topias Leinonen

Leinonen got his prospects back on track with a strong rookie season in the Hockey Allsvenskan. Athletic without power, and technically sound at tracking the puck, it looks like the large goaltender is just some improved lower body strength away from staring at some form of NHL future. Without a doubt though, his statistically sound season full of starts for Mora was crucial to getting him back on the prospect map. Time for an encore this season.

15 - Tyson Kozak

Kozak is a notable depth player whose unimpressive stats certainly don’t tell his whole story. Average in size, he lives off of hard work and a motor that allows him to get around the ice well and offer strong support for his linemates. He’s coming off his best season to date in the AHL, even having snuck into 21 NHL contests in a lower line capacity, chipping in more than anyone expected. Will he have the opportunity for an encore?

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #22 BUFFALO SABRES – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Thu, 22 May 2025 18:59:20 +0000

CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 06: Rochester Americans center Konsta Helenius (91) shoots the puck during the first period of the American Hockey League game between the Rochester Americans and Cleveland Monsters on November 6, 2024, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)

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Buffalo 25 Prospects

WORLD JUNIORS GOLD MEDAL GAME: Team USA gets a date with destiny

Kyle Watson — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 14:37:42 +0000

KANATA, ONTARIO - JANUARY 4: USAÕs Ryan Leonard #9 gets tangled up with Czechia's Jakub Fibigr #7 during Semifinal Round action at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship at Canadian Tire Centre on January 4, 2025 in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andr Ringuette/IIHF)

OTTAWA — Team USA has a chance to make history, and Finland wants to display their "lion mentality" to the world. That's what stake today.

With a chance to become the first American team in World Juniors history to defend their gold medal, the only thing that stands in the way for David Carle's men is a Finnish group with fire in their eyes.

The 2025 World Juniors gold medal game marks the second time the two nations have met in the finals. In 2019 a late goal from Kappo Kakko led the Finns over Jack Hughes and the Americans in Vancouver.

This edition of Team USA are focused on their own path

Despite Michael Hrabal's best efforts, a vintage Gabriel Perreault and Ryan Leonard performance carried Team USA to a 4-1 win over Czechia in the semifinals.

You can see why the Washington Capitals were ready to try playing Leonard in the NHL this year. He plays every game like it's the gold medal game.

Watch him battle to get this puck to Perreault on the opening goal:

Gabe Perreault opens the scoring for Team USA after an amazing pass from Ryan Leonard!!!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/JkQvZDCNuJ

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 5, 2025

Perreault returned the favour, setting up Leonard with 4:27 left to put a dagger in the heart of the Czechs — but it was 13th forward Cole Eiserman who scored the game-winner. It was a textbook finish from the USNTDP's all-time leading goal scorer:

Cole Eiserman SNIPES it!!!!

USA up 2-1#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/g4NbR8gnvT

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 5, 2025

The New York Islanders 2024 first-round pick is thriving in a limited role, coming up with timely scoring for head coach David Carle. Deployed mostly on the powerplay, Eiserman could be compared to a designated hitter in baseball.

"We don't win these games without him," said Carle after the win. "I can't say enough good things about the way he's handled it.

This was the USA's most complete victory in Ottawa so far. The top guys were clicking, they had timely penalty kills and Augustine recovered from letting in a weak tying goal. It's easy to get swept up in clichés in a major junior hockey press conference, but the Americans truly rely on all four lines (and Eiserman) to score. It's a top-to-bottom effort.

"Everyone's playing hard and embracing their role," explained defenceman Zeev Buium. "That was our message going into the tournament."

Eiserman insists he's not just helping his team on the scoresheet.

"[I want to do] whatever I can to help the team win, be a good person, a good teammate, a leader," said the 18-year-old. "That's something I've taken pride in this tournament, to try and let the guys know I'm there for them no matter what."

The Boston University freshman, playing at his first World Juniors, is one of many players who have stepped seamlessly into this group. The returning players, like Buium, Leonard, and Perreault are all finding another gear as the tournament closes.

Carle has maintained a positive environment for his team by getting the pressure out of the way early. He made sure they were aware of what would be on the line in Ottawa months ago:

"That was our first meeting in the summer, we spoke pretty honestly about the fact that our country had never [won gold in back-to-back tournaments,]" he said.

Addressing the elephant in the room well in advance, Carle's group has become a well-oiled machine with a razor's edge. They enter the final as a formidable force that will be heavily favourited.

"If we were thinking big picture, we wouldn't be here."

Finland remains a fixture in the World Juniors' medal round

Earlier in the day, Benjamin Rautainen scored the overtime winner as the Finns showed enough fight to defeat their rivals, Sweden, 4-3.

It's Team Finland's twelfth appearance in the gold medal game and the fourth in the last 12 tournaments. It's also worth noting that only Finland, USA and Canada won gold during that span.

It wasn't exactly a highlight-reel play — a trick shot that deceived Swedish netminder Melker Thelin.

"I didn't see it go in, but then I saw the bench," said goalie Petteri Rimpinen, who turned aside 43 shots in the win. "[Emil] Pieniniemi jumped on me and I almost cried in that moment, it was so awesome."

Finland's game-winning goal was a 'no-looker' on the power play#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/tUrHhPw8lf

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 4, 2025

"I think the goal means a lot for the team, for our whole country," said Finnish captain Aron Kiviharju.

"I've never seen anyone score a goal as big as he did tonight," he added. "Thank god he did for us."

Before the tournament, this wasn't a highly regarded Finnish squad. The nation has earned its reputation as a year-in-year-out contender but beyond Konsta Helenius, this group lacks blue-chip prospects. They were knocked out of the previous two editions of the U18s worlds at the quarterfinal stage.

Kiviharju, who was once regarded as the top prospect in the 2024 NHL Draft before an ACL injury curtailed his draft-eligible campaign, says his team plays better with a chip on their shoulder.

"I think everyone knows each other well. Both groups have gone through some adversity: The 05s lost in Switzerland against Slovakia and last year the 06s lost in their home tournament against Sweden," explained the 18-year-old.

"We kind of have that revenge mindset in every game: we feel we have something to prove. That feeds us every day, to be the best we can as a team."

Rimpinen said his team decided to embrace the idea of being underdogs before they arrived in Ottawa.

"Nobody believed in us before the tournament, so this is great. Now we can just focus on winning."

After the game, Lizz Child of FloHockey asked Rimpinen about his necklace of a lion's head.

The netminder explained it bears the team's logo — Team Finland are known as Leijonat or "The Lions."

"That's the mentality for me. Lion mentality" explained the 18-year-old, who was passed over in last summer's NHL Draft.

They may have begun the tournament as underdogs, but now Finland can become the kings of the jungle.

Parting Notes

Trey Augustine became the winningest American goalie in tournament history with his 11th-career WJC victory
Zeev Buium played 28:34 in the Americans' win
Buffalo Sabres prospect Konsta Helenius recorded an assist on all four Finnish goals
Heading into the final day, there is a five-way tie for the tournament-scoring lead
- Jakub Stancl (CZE) - 6 GP, 6 G, 9 PTS
- Dalibor Dvorsky (SVK) - 5 GP, 5 G, 9 PTS
- Axel Sandin-Pelikka (SWE) - 6 GP, 4 G, 9 PTS
- Gabe Perreault (USA) - 6 GP, 3 G, 9 PTS
- Cole Hutson (USA) - 6 GP, 2 G, 9 PTS
Petteri Rimpinen leads all goaltenders at the tournament with a .940 SV% on 215 shots
The best players of each team (selected by coaches)
- Canada
  - G Carter George (LAK)
  - D Tanner Molendyk (NSH)
  - F Brayden Yager (WPG)
- Czechia
  - G Michael Hrabal (UTAH)
  - F Petr Sikora (WSH)
  - Vojtech Husinecky
- Finland
  - G Petteri Rimpinen (DY+1)
  - F Konsta Helenius (BUF)
  - F Jesse Kiiskinen (DET)
- Germany
  - F Julius Sumpf (DY+2)
  - D Carlos Handel (2026)
  - G Linus Viellard
- Kazakhstan
  - Aslan Zhussupbekov
  - Kirill Lyapunov
  - Vladimir Nikitin
- Latvia
  - G Linus Feldbergs (DY+2)
  - F Eriks Mateiko (WSH)
  - D Peteris Bulans (DY+2_
- Switzerland
  - F Leo Braillard (DY+2)
  - F Simon Meier (DY+2)
  - F Andro Kaderli (DY+2)
- Slovakia
  - F Dalibor Dvorsky (STL)
  - F Roman Kukumberg (DY+2)
  - D Luka Radivojevic (2025)
- Sweden
  - D Axel Sandin-Pelikka (DET)
  - F David Edstrom (NSH)
  - F Felix Undger Sorum (CAR)
- USA
  - D Cole Hutson (WSH)
  - F Danny Nelson (NYI)
  - Ryan Leonard (WSH)

2025 WORLD JUNIORS: Augustine “lights out” in New Year’s Eve win against Canada

Kyle Watson — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 15:46:53 +0000

OTTAWA - You can't let Trey Augustine get locked in.

There's a reason they called him "The Closer" during his time with the U.S. National Team Development Program: he knows how to see out victories.

Here's a glance at his career highlights in tournament play:

2021 USA Hockey Tier I National Championship (2005 Detroit Honeybaked 15U AAA)
2023 World U18 gold
- 6-0-0, 1.61, .934%
2024 World Juniors gold
- 4-0-0, 1.75, .936%
2024 Men's World Championship
- made his senior international debut in relief of Alex Lyon in a 6-1 win over Germany, stopped 20/21 shots in his first start: a 5-1 victory over Poland

Augustine had a few mishaps in his first two starts in Ottawa, but bounced back against a floundering Canadian offence, turning aside 38 of the 39 shots in a player-of-the-game performance.

It was a marked return to form for the 19-year-old, McKeen's Hockey's near-unanimous selection for the top goaltender in our tournament preview.

"He was lights out," said USA head coach David Carle after the game. "I'm proud of his effort and ability to respond from the first two games. He's his own hardest critic and for him to bounce back like that was big-time."

Augustine's teammates spoke candidly about their confidence playing in front of him.

"We know who we have back there, and we trust him fully," said forward Danny Nelson.

Cole Hutson was asked how his netminder compared to Canada's Carter George:

"It definitely varies night-to-night, but I'm taking Trey any day of the week," said the 18-year-old defender.

Hutson enjoyed another stellar performance on the night, scoring the opening goal in the first period and assisting Nelson's game-winner early in the final frame.

COLE HUTSON DOES IT HIMSELF

1-0 USA.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/1xn9B2lDgq

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 1, 2025

The Boston College freshman has emerged as an early-tournament favourite for MVP with two goals, eight assists and a plus-seven rating in four games. He has done so while deployed on the American's second defensive pairing and powerplay unit.

Though Hutson doesn't mind playing second fiddle to the USA's returning 1D, Zeev Buium.

"We have our No. 1 guy and that’s Zeev," he explained. "Maybe pucks haven’t been bouncing his way but I’m here to push him and support him through it all.”

Hutson's success in a supporting role mirrors how well Notre Dame's Danny Nelson is performing behind James Hagens as the team's second-line center.

The New York Islanders prospect scored twice and was named player of the game in the Americans' 5-1 win over Latvia. His third of the tournament was perhaps his nicest and certainly the most important.

With Hutson dancing around the net, Nelson was left wide open in the slot. He utilized the screen well and snapped one over George's blocker, effectively sealing the win.

USA TAKES THE LEAD

Danny Nelson strikes on the power-play.#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/nFRPRf0999

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 1, 2025

With the Canadians on their heels, Team USA knew they just had to ensure their goaltender saw every shot: protecting a lead isn't exactly unfamiliar territory for Trey Augustine.

The game-winner symbolized the ideals David Carle instilled in his players. Hutson is thriving on the second pairing knowing he'll likely get more time in the limelight next year. After centring the fourth line and killing penalties last year in Gothenburg, Nelson is blossoming as a secondary scorer here in Ottawa.

They know that with team success comes the success of the individual:

“I was a lesser role last year and now I want to help the young guys learn that everyone will be successful if they buy into their role,” explained Nelson.

Sweden, Finland cruise to comfortable victories

Petterri Rimpinen turned aside all 28 shots he faced as Team Finland bested Latvia 3-0 earlier in the day.

Buffalo Sabres prospect Konsta Helenius was back to his best after a quiet start to the tournament. The 2024 14th-overall pick dangled through the Latvian defence to set up the game's first goal and finished with four shots on goal.

WHAT A DANGLE.

Konsta Helenius sets up Benjamin Rautiainen to give Finland the early lead. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/jT8IIxU0XQ

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 31, 2024

London Knights sharpshooter Kasper Halttunen reminded fans what one of the best shots in junior hockey looks like:

Kasper Halttunen finds the back of the net to put Finland up 3-0! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/regsfx77of

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 31, 2024

The San Jose Sharks prospect holds the record for the most goals by an import player in a single OHL playoff run, scoring 17 goals to help lead the Knights to an OHL Championship last spring. It was only a matter of time before he found the back of the net.

Team Sweden doubled up Czechia 4-2 and finished as the only team with a perfect record in round-robin play (4-0-0-0).

On his 19th birthday, New Jersey Devils prospect Herman Träff set the tone for the Juniorkronorna, striking twice 5:26 apart to open the game's scoring.

As the team's 13th forward, he managed to do so on three shots in just 5:57 of ice time. It truly has been a team effort for Sweden.

Watching this edition of Team Canada play, you wonder, "Who will score for them?"

Watching Sweden or the USA play, you wonder, "Who will score next?"

That's been the difference.

On tap next

Friday, January 2nd (all times are local)

Germany vs. Kazakhstan (Relegation) - 11 a.m. @ Canadian Tire Centre
Sweden vs. Latvia Noon @ TD Plac
USA vs. Switzerland - 2:30 p.m. @ Canadian Tire Centre
Finland vs. Slovakia - 5 p.m. @ TD Place
Czechia vs Canada - 7:30 p.m. @ Canadian Tire Centre

Preliminary round stats

ATOI leaders, preliminary round
- D Peteris Bulans, Latvia - 25:11
- D Zeev Buium, USA - 24:53
- D Maxim Strbak, Slovakia - 25:35
ATOI leaders, (forwards only)
- Dalibor Dvorsky, Slovakia - 22:35
- Juraj Pekarcik, Slovakia - 21:47
- Daniel Jencko, Slovakia - 21:47
FO% leaders (min. 10 FO)
- Cole Beaudoin, Canada - 76%
- Brayden Yager, Canada - 70%
- Oliver Moore, USA - 65%
- Dalibor Dvorsky, Slovakia - 65%
Team scoring efficiency
- Czechia - 19.7%
- Sweden - 14.7%
- USA - 13.9%
- Kazakhstan - 12.7%
- Slovakia - 9.6%
- Switzerland - 8%
- Latvia - 7.8%
- Germany - 6.8%
- Finland - 6.4%
- Canada - 5.8%
Team goaltending
- Finland - .940%
- Canada - .937%
- Latvia - .926%
- USA - .924%
- Czechia - .920%
- Sweden - .898%
- Germany - .872%
- Slovakia - .868%
- Switzerland - .866%
- Kazakhstan - .818%
Team PIM
- Czechia - 67
- Kazakhstan - 61
- Canada - 58
- USA - 44
- Switzerland - 40
- Latvia - 36
- Sweden - 34
- Finland - 32
- Germany - 28
- Slovakia - 28

AHL SCOUTING REPORT (Video + Grades) – Konsta Helenius, C, Rochester Americans

Michael Moroz — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 18:35:30 +0000

_{Konsta Helenius of Finland ahead of the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship game between Finland and Canada on December 26, 2023 in Gothenburg.}
_{Photo: Carl Sandin / BILDBYRÅN / kod CS / CS0473}

Konsta Helenius

2024 NHL Entry Draft (Round 1, #14, Buffalo)
Position: C/W, Shoots: R
H/W: 5’11”, 189lbs
Date of Birth: 2006-05-11
Stats to Date: 27GP, 6-11-17, 16 PIM with Rochester (AHL)

Konsta Helenius has always had a big name as a smart, skilled, up-and-coming prospect in Finland, but it was his play at the international level that really hammered home his potential for NHL scouts. Helenius came into the limelight a couple of years ago in 2022-2023 with his play at the U17s and U18s for Finland, where he showcased his cerebral playmaking abilities and strong defensive acumen. At the U17s, Helenius was an assist machine, tallying a total of 9 assists and 11 points in a mere 7 games. Playing as an underage that same year at the U18s, Helenius was a force in the faceoff circle, showing he could be counted on as a responsible player at key moments. Now playing in the AHL with the Rochester Americans after two seasons with Jukurit in the Finnish Liiga, Helenius is making strong steps toward his potential.

Helenius’ game is built on a myriad of skills: he’s quick to make plays, he’s always in the right position, and his passing is on a whole other level, heads above his peers. But all of these skills are built on one foundation: Helenius’ smarts. It’s his smarts that allow him to see and make plays before they happen; they also enable him to know where to be across all zones of the ice, ready to make that next pass or break up an opposing play. And it’s his smarts that allow him to be a cerebral playmaker, finding open teammates at the tap of a stick on the ice. Helenius’ smarts serve as the driving force behind his game and are the reason he will be able to be counted on in the offensive and defensive zones as a future NHLer. The question remains, however, whether his other skills are as high-end as his smarts. Is his shot particularly dynamic? Is his skating good enough to be a shutdown number one or number two centre? The scouting world lacks a consensus. It’s up to Helenius to show that his toolkit is there, or can get there.

Helenius has already shown that he can read and make plays on North American ice. Helenius had an excellent career playing as an underage with Jukurit in the Finnish Liiga, and his transition to Rochester has been almost seamless. But Helenius still has room to grow. Helenius still has room to improve on his skating, particularly his edgework. This will come with time, but having Helenius improve on his edgework will allow him to make easier pivots to fuel his superb playmaking abilities. Helenius also has room to improve his physicality. He doesn’t need to be a player who hits everything that moves, but he can learn to better use his body to edge and box other players out, particularly pro players who are bigger and stronger than he is. Helenius has the tools to be a future middle-six player in the NHL, perhaps even a top-of-the-line forward, but improving his physicality will allow him to mold into a centre that can defend against the NHL’s best players. Can he be the next Phillip Danault or Mikael Backlund? Is his offensive ceiling high enough to be the next Elias Lindholm? Time will tell.

Characteristics

Skating

Helenius isn’t a bad skater by any means, but I wouldn’t call him a great skater, either. Helenius has good straight-line speed, which will allow him to join the rush and make plays at the NHL level, but it’s not game-breaking speed. With smaller players under the stereotypical 6’0” threshold, NHL teams would hope that someone with smaller size like Helenius would be a little quicker, but Helenius appears to be near average in terms of NHL speed. Other aspects of his game make up for his average speed and smaller frame, but if Helenius could improve his speed he could really separate himself as a playmaker.

In terms of other areas of improvement, there’s room for Helenius to improve his skating by working on his edgework. At times Helenius’ pivots and turns can look quite choppy, which delays his reaction time to oncoming and opposing plays. Helenius is only 18 and is still adjusting to the North American game, but with the smaller ice sheet players really need to be able to utilize their turns and pivots to maximize other aspects of their game.

Ultimately, Helenius’ current skating won’t prevent him from becoming an important, impactful player in the NHL. But in saying that, there still is room for improvement. If Helenius could improve his speed and edgework in only a slight way, there’s a great possibility that any such improvement could allow other areas of Helenius’ game to flourish.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shooting_from_the_slot_-_1st_period_27_14_-_27_21.mp4

Here’s a clip of Helenius’ straight-line speed. His skating allows him to keep up with the 2-on-1 rush, where he ultimately finishes on a pass from Riley Fiddler-Schultz and scores against the Utica Comets. Helenius has NHL-calibre straight-line speed.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_3rd_period_6_44_-_6_57.mp4

In this clip, Helenius is able to use his speed to beat an opposing defender, leading to a breakaway. Helenius uses his quick release to score against the Utica Comets.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shooting_from_the_blue_line_-_2nd_period_16_39_-_16_46.mp4

I like this clip from the U18s because it shows Helenius’ ability to put some power behind his stride when required. He engages with a Slovakian defender, breaks away, and staves off another defender before releasing a shot on net.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_1st_period_6_26_-_6_43.mp4

Here’s a perfect clip showing the combination of Helenius’ straight-line speed with his skill. He uses his speed to deke past a defender, leading to a scoring chance.

GRADE: 50

Shot

Helenius’ shot is highly divisive among many scouts. Some scouts would argue that it is above NHL average. And they’re probably not wrong - Helenius can fire shots from anywhere with a very quick release, startling any goalie. Other scouts, however, would argue that those quick shots don’t always have much power behind them. It ultimately depends on what you value in a shooter - does a quick release matter more than having a powerful shot? I would argue you need both to truly be above NHL average. For these reasons, I’d be comfortable giving Helenius a grade slightly above NHL average. But more consistency is needed there.

In terms of areas of improvement, shot selection is really hindering Helenius’ potential as a shooter. It’s very important for a forward to be willing to shoot from almost anywhere - usually, the more shots you take, the better the chances are that one of them goes in. But shooting in abundance also has its negatives; it can destroy potential plays that can be made to teammates. You’ll see some of that in Helenius’ clips, where at times it feels like he’s forcing a shot on net that isn’t there. More seasoning in the AHL will help Helenius figure it out, and I’m extremely confident he will.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_2nd_period_30_8_-_30_21.mp4

Here’s a clip of Helenius’ quick release in action. On a powerplay against the Cleveland Monsters, Helenius fires a quick shot on a knuckle puck past the Monsters’ goaltender.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shooting_from_the_blue_line_-_1st_period_1_48_-_1_55.mp4

I’m a little indifferent to this shot from Helenius. Instead of holding on to the puck for a little longer and trying to make a play, he shoots it on net. That can be the right play, especially with an opposing defender closing in on you, but Helenius doesn’t shoot for a controlled rebound. The rebound ends up exiting the zone with a Laval Rocket forward.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shooting_from_the_blue_line_-_1st_period_21_35_-_21_42.mp4

I don’t mind this shot from Helenius. He’s being defended against very well by a Syracuse Crunch forward, so he puts a quick shot on net that could be deflected or used as a rebound.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shooting_from_the_slot_-_1st_period_8_44_-_8_51.mp4

This is a clip of Helenius’ quick release with his pinpoint accuracy. He takes the puck in close, uses a quick deke and scores against the Utica Comets. A nice play from Helenius here.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shooting_from_the_blue_line_-_1st_period_23_50_-_23_57.mp4

Here’s a clip from Helenius at the U18s, where he tries to pick a corner against Slovakia on the power play. I don’t mind this shot at all. Good players try to make good plays!

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shooting_from_the_blue_line_-_2nd_period_1_14_-_1_21.mp4

I like this low shot because he’s shooting for a rebound. Smart play by Helenius here.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shooting_from_the_blue_line_-_3rd_period_3_25_-_3_32.mp4

This is a combinatory clip of Helenius’ quick release with some real power behind his shot. I would like to see this more often, even if he needs to miss the net a couple of times before he figures out how to place it.

GRADE: 52.5

Skills

Put simply, Helenius is a superb passer who knows how to make plays. Oftentimes I’m in awe of how he can find teammates from almost anywhere on the ice. Helenius has shown his playmaking and passing abilities at all levels of hockey: junior, pro, and even on the international stage. Helenius was a playmaking machine against his peers at the U17s in 2022-2023. He was always a threat to generate a scoring chance, and he parlayed his great play into a very strong showing as an underager at the U18s that same year. But it was his second season in the Finnish Liiga with Jukurit, in addition to his second stint at the U18s in 2023-2024, where Helenius really showed his prowess as a playmaker. You don’t get 22 assists playing against men by accident, especially when a good chunk of them could deserve to be on a highlight reel, and you don’t get 7 assists in 5 games on the international stage by accident. I would like Helenius to be a bit more of an assertive playmaker in the pro game, but he can make plays.

As far as Helenius’ other skills go, I would say his stick skills are at or near NHL average. He can deke defenders and make nice moves, but I wouldn’t say that’s the biggest sticking point of his game. The flash in his game comes from his playmaking abilities, not his stick handling. But don’t get me wrong - he can still make great moves to beat goalies in tight. Helenius is also a very strong centre in the faceoff circle, especially for someone his age. He can be counted on to take big faceoffs in the offensive and defensive zones at any given time of the game. There’s a lot to like with this player, especially in the skill department.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shooting_from_the_slot_-_3rd_period_1_30_-_1_37.mp4

Here’s a nice play of Helenius showing his skill in-tight against the Laval Rocket, which almost results in a goal. Nice play here from the Finnish forward.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shooting_from_the_slot_-_3rd_period_2_59_-_3_6.mp4

I like Helenius’ willingness to try to go behind the legs on this play against Latvia at the U18s. He’s not afraid to try to make plays, which shows he has great confidence in himself as a playmaker on the international stage.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shooting_from_the_slot_-_1st_period_8_44_-_8_51-1.mp4

Here’s a nice play by Helenius in-tight to score a goal against the Utica Comets. Some basic dekes here, but they’re good enough to stun the goalie, which allows Helenius to fire a quick shot which results in a goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shooting_from_the_slot_-_2nd_period_15_47_-_15_56.mp4

This is a clip of Helenius in alone on a breakaway in Finnish league play. Not the quickest set of hands, but he doesn’t give up on the play and scores on the rebound.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_2nd_period_21_38_-_21_51.mp4

Here’s a nice feed from Helenius which helps create a goal against the Belleville Senators.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shooting_from_the_slot_-_2nd_period_2_43_-_2_50.mp4

Similar move here from Helenius that he used against the Laval Rocket.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_1st_period_2_14_-_2_27.mp4

A clean faceoff win here from Helenius in the defensive zone.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_2nd_period_7_59_-_8_12.mp4

Smart play by Helenius here to set up a goal after the initial play doesn’t go as planned.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shooting_from_the_slot_-_shootouts_4_10_-_4_17.mp4

Finally, here’s a shootout clip from Helenius. Very good move here.

GRADE: 57.5

Smarts

This is the bread and butter of Helenius’ game. He can create plays from anywhere on the ice, and he does this so easily because he knows the play is about to happen before it actually happens. Helenius’ smarts also apply to his work in the defensive zone. He just knows where to be, and he can mitigate opposing plays before they happen. Helenius has had some adjusting to do with the North American pro game, but his smarts will allow him to carve out a long NHL career. There’s really not much for me to say about Helenius’ smarts, which don’t already speak for themselves, and you’ll see it in action in the following clips. This is a very smart hockey player who can play at both ends of the ice, and his strong play allows him to make up for his teammates’ mistakes. He’s very impressive in this regard, and I have no doubt that he’ll be a very successful player at both ends of the ice in the NHL.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shooting_from_the_blue_line_-_1st_period_2_28_-_2_35.mp4

Here’s a clip of Helenius knowing how a play will turn out before it happens. Playing the right point, Helenius knows he has a forward crashing the net after the end of the faceoff. He puts it right near his teammates’ stick for a possible deflection. Very smart work here by Helenius.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shooting_from_the_blue_line_-_3rd_period_5_13_-_5_20.mp4

Here’s a clip from Helenius on the powerplay against the Syracuse Crunch. He knows he has to shoot for a rebound, so he puts it low on net, creating a scoring opportunity. It’s the simple plays like these that show how smart Helenius is as a playmaker.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shooting_from_the_slot_-_2nd_period_1_39_-_1_46.mp4

This is another clip about Helenius’ anticipation of the play. He flanks the Laval Rocket defender before reappearing ready for a pass in the slot.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/konsta_helenius_-_shot_blocking_-_1st_period_11_44_-_11_51.mp4

I like this clip from Helenius because it shows his awareness in the defensive zone. He’s in a good position here to break up a play while playing in the Finnish Liiga.

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This clip is great because it shows the trust the Rochester Americans’ coaching staff has in Helenius. He’s playing on the penalty kill as an 18-year-old. Good positioning here enables him to thwart a play from the Syracuse Crunch.

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This might be one of my favourite clips from Helenius. He tracks back into his own zone, but he actually stops in front of the net, which allows him to prevent an opposing goal. Many forwards would keep skating, but not Helenius. A very good play by the Finnish forward.

GRADE: 60

Physicality/Compete

For someone a little under six foot, Helenius sure isn’t afraid to shy away from physical battles all over the ice. He has been more assertive physically on the international stage against his peers than at the pro level, which is to be expected, but I’m impressed with Helenius’ unafraid attitude to get in the rough areas. He’s a strong player, especially on his stick, which allows him to compete with players who are bigger and stronger than he is. This particularly helps him in the faceoff circle, where he actually does quite well relative to peers his own age. I don’t think he will ever turn into the ultra-competitive, ‘sellout’ to block everything type of player, but he holds his own as a player that’s willing to engage and compete physically. Nothing here will hold him back from being an important player, especially when the game gets tougher in the playoffs.

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Here’s a good clip of Helenius tracking back to use his stick to block an opposing forward’s shot. A lot of players wouldn’t make as much of an effort to get back to defend. He cares about playing well and competing in his own zone.

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This clip perfectly captures Helenius’ compete during a faceoff against the Syracuse Crunch. After winning the faceoff, Helenius dumps the Crunch centre.

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I like this clip a lot as well. After winning the faceoff, Helenius goes straight to the hard areas to engage physically with the Belleville Senators’ players.

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I used this clip earlier, but again it shows that Helenius is unwilling to give up on loose pucks. A great display of compete and physicality here from the Sabres prospect.

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This clip shows Helenius being shadowed a bit by the opposing Toronto Marlies. This is the kind of contact Helenius faces in the AHL as a big-name prospect, but he doesn’t shy away.

GRADE: 55

OFP: 55.5

2025 WORLD JUNIORS: Team Preview – Team Finland

Jeremy Rivet — Sun, 22 Dec 2024 14:00:26 +0000

_{Aron Kiviharju}

After losing the bronze medal game for the 10th time last year in Gothenburg (Sweden), which is the most by any country in the history of the IIHF World Junior Championship, Finland will be looking to bounce back to try to win its 6th gold medal this year in Ottawa. Since 2014, the gold medal has been split between three countries: Canada, United States and Finland. We could say that it is a successful sequence for Finland, but there were some disappointing results during this period where they finished 6th in 2018 in Buffalo and 7th in 2015 in Toronto. However, the most shocking result was in 2017 in Montréal where they had to fight to avoid relegation and stay in the top division. Things seem to have settled for Finland since their last gold medal in 2019 in Vancouver where their lowest result was 5th place in 2023 in Halifax and they ended on the podium in both editions presented in Edmonton in 2021 (bronze) and 2022 (silver).

This year, Finland will have seven returning players from last year's edition that the team can rely on. Their group will have 17 players who were drafted in the NHL and that includes two first-round picks and three second-round picks. Additionally, the majority of the players are playing against men in pro-level hockey (AHL, SHL or Liiga). The players on this team are fully capable of playing the hard and intense type of game which is what we are used to seeing from Finland teams historically.

Offensively, they will be led by the four returning forwards which are Konsta Helenius, Rasmus Kumpalainen, Kasper Halttunen and Emil Hemming. They will be joined by Seattle’s second-round pick Julius Miettinen who plays for the Everett Silvertips in the WHL and who should play a big offensive role for them. Defensively, there are two returning defensemen that will be defensive pillars for Finland, Emil Pieniniemi and Kalle Kangas. They are both 2023 NHL draft picks by the Pittsburgh Penguins. In net, Noa Vali is the only goaltender back from last year after Finland decided to cut Oilers’ prospect Eemil Vinni.

This year Finland’s team has a strong balance of size, skill, offensive threats and role players that will be hard to play against. It would not be an out-of-the-box statement to think that they are one of the favorites for a medal behind Canada and the United States, but they are also in a tough group with the Canadians and the Americans. To have success this year, they will have to avoid a false start like last year, where they lost their first two games against Canada and Germany which put them in a tough situation. Logically, they should expect to finish third in the strongest group but they certainly have the offensive elements to upset one of the top teams of group A. The question is, do they have a strong enough defense depth and a goaltender that can make the difference to challenge the top countries?

Key Players

Konsta Helenius, Center

He is one of the returning players from last year's edition. The Buffalo Sabres first-round pick from the 2024 NHL draft will have to take the lead of the offense for Finland and have a better tournament than last where he ended up with only 2 points in 7 games. This year is the first North American season for Helenius who plays for the Rochester Americans in the AHL. At only 18 years old, he has had a good start to the season with 16 points in 26 games. He is known for his well-rounded game on both sides of the ice and his intelligence in the offensive zone. Even if he is not the oldest player for Finland, he will be the go-to guy that should be used in every situation.

Kasper Halttunen, Winger

Another veteran from 2024 and one of their highest-scoring returning players with 6 points (3 goals - 3 assists) in 7 games. The 6-foot-3 winger is a second-round pick by the San Jose Sharks in 2023 and he will be looking at repeating his performance. He is a typical power forward with a heavy shot and good puck-handling skills as well as a physical aspect in his game. He will be a threat on the power play for Finland as he likes to take one-timers from the left half-wall. This season, he spent the month of October in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda (4 pts in 6 games) before being loaned to the London Knights in the OHL (6 pts in 9 games) where he played last year.

Emil Hemming, Winger

The 6-foot-1 right-winger is the third forward who has experience from last year. Like Helenius, the Dallas Stars’ first-round pick in 2024 will be one of the main offensive threats for Finland and will be looking to have a bigger impact than his 2 points in 7 games last year. Now as a veteran, he will have more ice time and have some big power play minutes with the shot he has, which is his best weapon. His overall game is not to be underestimated though. He is responsible defensively as well and he doesn’t shy away from the physical game and he likes to drive the net. After playing in the Liiga last season, this year he made the jump to the OHL with a strong Barrie Colts team, although his production thus far has been underwhelming (20 pts in 30 games).

Rasmus Kumpalainen, Center

The last forward returnee for Finland is a big 6-foot-4 center who played for the Oshawa Generals in the OHL last season and ended the year with almost a point per game (56 pts in 58 games) before going back to Finland in the Liiga with the Pelicans. In his first year of pro hockey, the Minnesota Wild’s second-round pick in 2023 has 11 points in 29 games so far. Kumpalainen is mostly a two-way center that is engaged defensively and physically but he also has offensive skills that should not be overlooked. He is also strong with puck protection along the boards and he likes to bring them to the inside. Last year, he finished the tournament with 2 goals in 7 games and he should be a good complement to Helenius as a second-line center for Finland.

Emil Pieniniemi, Defense

He is the first of two defensemen that is returning from last year for Finland. Pieniniemi is a big 6-foot-3 left-handed defenseman who was drafted in the third round in 2023 by the Pittsburgh Penguins. This season he crossed the Atlantic to play in the OHL with the Kingston Frontenacs after spending last season in the Liiga. He is a solid two-way defenseman who can be used in all situations and can be trusted to log big minutes. So far this season, he has produced 34 points in 32 games in the OHL. He is not afraid of the physical game and he can support the attack. He will probably be the most reliable defenseman for Finland this year.

Kalle Kangas, Defense

He is the other Finnish defenseman that belongs to the Pittsburgh Penguins who drafted him in the seventh round in 2023. The 6-foot-4 defenseman was at the World Juniors last year as well and he will be looking to make a bigger impact for Finland this year by being reliable on the defensive side. He is a guy that moves the puck well, and uses his size and reach to kill plays. He will be a physical presence in Finland’s defensemen group and will probably see ice time on the penalty kill. So far this year, he has played 23 games in the Liiga producing 5 points.

Noa Vali, Goaltender

Like I wrote earlier, Vali is the only goaltender that is coming back from the past edition. Last year, he came into the tournament as the number two and became the number one for the last two games of the preliminary round. This switch proved crucial for Finland after they lost their first two games against Canada and Germany. Vali produced a shutout against Latvia before winning an important game in a shootout against Sweden. He played only these two games and ended the tournament with a .929 save percentage and a 1.94 goals against average. Even though he had a good showing and is the only veteran within the goaltender group, his number one spot is not guaranteed and he will have to fight for it. But he showed that he can do the job in a tournament like that and he will want to show again what he can do to maybe attract the attention of the NHL scouts as he went undrafted last NHL draft.

Aron Kiviharju, Defense

It was a disappointing season last year for Kiviharju due to an injury where he played only 7 games in the Liiga before he finished the year at the U18 World Junior Championships. Two years ago, he was seen as a top prospect for the 2024 NHL Draft but he fell to the 4th round with the Minnesota Wild. This season, it is going better for him in the Liiga where he has produced 10 points in 32 games. Kiviharju’s main attributes are his speed, his mobility, his puck-handling skills and his vision. He will probably be the man to run the first powerplay unit from the blue line for Finland.

Julius Miettinen, Winger

He is the typical power-forward type of player. The 6-foot-3 left-handed winger has the combination of speed, size, skills and compete level that made him a high second-round pick last year by Seattle. He plays physical, he is hard on pucks along the boards, and he likes to create chaos around the net. This season, he is playing for his second season with the Everett Silvertips in the WHL and has 34 points in 30 games after producing 67 points in 66 games last year.

Jesse Kiiskinen, Winger

The 6-foot right-handed winger was drafted in the third round in 2023 by Nashville but was recently traded to Detroit. Last season, after producing 21 points in 8 games in the U20 SM-Sarja, he was promoted in the Liiga with the Pelicans and had 10 points in 38 games. This year, he was transferred to HPK in the Liiga and he has 22 points in 26 games so far. He is a player that possesses excellent offensive skills and he uses his speed and his good shot to create scoring chances. He will add offensive depth to the Finland team and his experience playing at the pro level should be really useful for him and the team.

Sleeper Player

Topias Hynninen, Center

Hynninen was ignored by the 32 NHL teams at the 2024 draft and he will be looking to use this opportunity to show the scouts what he can do. At 5-foot-11, his size can be a disadvantage for him, but the left-handed center plays with a high-level motor and he is a consistent threat on the forecheck and on the counter-attacks. He played in the Liiga last season and produced 9 points in 43 games. This year, his progression is impressive. So far, he has a production of 24 points in 32 games in the Liiga. He is a good playmaker and can make plays at a high pace. He should be playing big minutes at this year's World Juniors for Finland.

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – BUFFALO SABRES – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #12

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Josh Bell — Sun, 22 Sep 2024 13:00:37 +0000

_{PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 28:Buffalo Sabres center Jiri Kulich (20) skates with the puck during the second period in the NHL preseason game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres on September 28, 2023, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)}

Prospect System Ranking – 12th (Previous Rank - 2nd)
GM: Kevyn Adams Hired: June 2020
COACH: Lindy Ruff Hired: April 2024

Trading away McKeen’s 39th-ranked prospect, Matthew Savoie, has left a dent in the Sabres' prospect rankings, causing their fall from second to eighth, and now to 12th. However, at some point, the focus must shift from stockpiling prospects to winning games and making a push for the playoffs. Even with Savoie out of the picture, Buffalo still boasts seven players within our McKeen’s top 150, including two prospects ranked in the top 35. Most of their top prospects are close to home, developing with the Rochester Americans in the AHL while sitting just a rock's throw away of NHL deployment.

Leading the pack is forward Jiri Kulich (33rd), who appears closest to earning a promotion to the NHL. Since transitioning from Czechia two seasons ago, Kulich has been a consistent producer, racking up 91 points across 119 games, good for a 0.76 point-per-game pace. Isak Rosén (116th), Buffalo’s 2021 first rounder, is right behind him with 87 points over roughly the same span of games. Swedish sensations Noah Östlund (93rd) and Anton Wahlberg (110th) have also been tracking nicely in the SHL and have crossed the pond. Meanwhile, Konsta Helenius (51st), Buffalo’s latest first-round pick, is expected to join the North American ranks.

Buffalo’s prospect pool complements an already youthful NHL roster featuring Jack Quinn (22), Dylan Cozens (23), Zach Benson (19), J.J. Peterka (22), Tage Thompson (26), Bowen Byram (23), Owen Power (21), and Rasmus Dahlin (24).

The situation between the pipes is especially interesting. With Devon Levi, McKeen’s 21st-ranked prospect, waiting in the wings, Buffalo recently signed 25-year-old Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to a new five-year extension. While this solidifies Buffalo’s goaltending depth, it raises questions about how the goalie hierarchy will shake out.

After 13 years without playoff hockey, Buffalo’s rebuild has come to a critical juncture. With an incredibly talented core and a strong prospect pool, it’s only a matter of time before this team is ready to surge back into postseason contention.

Buffalo Sabres Top-15 Prospects

1. Devon Levi

Devon Levi's meteoric rise through the NCAA ranks had scouts raving about his potential as a future NHL star. The buzz stemmed from his remarkable calmness in net, his ability to make highlight-reel saves with a feline grace, and his knack for stealing games for his team. Levi's arrival in the NHL hasn't quite been the seamless transition many expected. While the raw talent is undeniable, there's a sense that the pro game's quicker pace and tighter margins have exposed some weaknesses in his game. His save percentages haven't reached the heights he achieved in college, and there have been moments where his positioning seems a touch off. The key is to remain patient. Adjusting to the NHL is a challenge for any goalie, and Levi's underlying numbers suggest there's still plenty to be optimistic about. He has the tools to be a difference-maker at this level, but it might take some time for him to fully adjust and find his rhythm.

2. Jiri Kulich

Jiri Kulich isn't the biggest forward on the ice, but he plays with a heart that belies his frame. He boasts a powerful skating stride that translates to dangerous rushes and the ability to create separation in tight spaces. Don't be fooled by his speed – Kulich isn't afraid to mix it up in the dirty areas. He battles for pucks along the boards with a willingness to go to the net to create scoring chances. But his true calling card is his offensive arsenal. He possesses a wicked wrist shot with a deceptive release, making him a constant threat from the perimeter. He's not a one-trick pony, though. Kulich displays slick hands and a knack for finding open ice in scoring areas. His hockey IQ shines in his ability to anticipate plays and make smart decisions. While all that is enticing, there's room for improvement in his overall strength. Consistency can also be a concern. If he addresses those issues, Kulich has top six forward potential with a knack for scoring goals.

3. Konsta Helenius

Konsta Helenius is a highly intelligent and skilled player, drawing comparisons to Lucas Raymond in his draft year due to their similar style, size, and smart play. Known for his results-oriented approach, Helenius consistently performed at a high level, finishing fifth in Liiga scoring among players 20 or younger, despite not being affiliated with an NHL team. He also represented Finland at the WJC, U18 Worlds, and the men’s world championships, where he made a strong impression as the youngest player ever to suit up for Team Finland. Helenius’s puck control, passing, and ability to navigate through traffic make him a formidable offensive threat. Although he needs to add strength, his skillset and maturity suggest he’ll be a valuable NHL asset soon. Helenius is seen as a player who could make a swift impact at the NHL level, potentially even faster than Raymond.

4. Noah Ostlund

Don't be fooled by his size – Noah Ostlund conducts the offence like a seasoned veteran. The Swedish center boasts a smooth skating stride and elite puckhandling ability, weaving through defenders with a magician's touch. His vision on the ice is a thing of beauty, threading needlepoint passes to spring linemates for breakaways. While not a prolific scorer himself, Ostlund elevates the play of everyone around him, a true playmaking maestro. Questions linger about his finishing touch. Despite flashes of a deceptive shot, consistency in finding the net remains a work in progress. Adding some physicality to his frame wouldn't hurt either, allowing him to battle harder in the trenches and win those board battles. Despite these areas for improvement, Ostlund's potential as a top six center with elite playmaking skills is undeniable. If he can add some scoring punch and a bit of grit, he could become a difference-maker at the NHL level.

5. Anton Wahlberg

After a limited stint with the Malmö Redhawks in the SHL, where he put up 10 points in 43 games, Wahlberg found his footing in the AHL with the Rochester Americans. In nine games with the Americans, Wahlberg notched one goal and three assists for four points. While the point totals aren't eye-popping, it's important to remember Wahlberg is a young player (just 18 years old) adjusting to the pro game. The small sample size in the AHL makes it difficult to draw major conclusions, but the fact that he was able to produce at all is a positive sign. Those familiar with Wahlberg's scouting reports will likely point to his hockey IQ and playmaking ability as his biggest strengths. While his offensive upside remains to be seen, his performance in the AHL suggests he can be a productive player at that level. Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see how the Sabres decide to utilize him. Another year in the AHL could be in the cards.

6. Isak Rosen

Isak Rosen wasn't expected to light up the scoresheet in his second AHL season, but the young Swede did just that. After a decent rookie campaign, Rosen exploded offensively in 2023-24, putting up a respectable 50 points (20 goals, 30 assists) in 67 games for the Rochester Americans. His improved playmaking ability was particularly noteworthy, suggesting a well-rounded offensive skillset emerging. Questions linger, however. While he can create scoring chances, his finishing touch remains a work in progress. Consistency was also an issue – stretches of dominance were occasionally punctuated by quiet periods. Did Rosen finally earn his NHL call-up many predicted last season? The answer is a tantalizing ‘almost.’ He saw limited action with the Sabres, failing to register a point. His development in 2023-24 was a positive step, but the jury's still out on his NHL readiness. Can he refine his finishing and translate his AHL success to the big leagues? This season will be crucial in determining if Rosen becomes a reliable NHL contributor or remains a top AHL producer.

7. Vsevolod Komarov

Drafted 134th overall in 2022, the Sabres saw something in the 6-foot-3, 187-pound Vsevolod Komarov. The defender was coming off his first season in the QMJHL and while he had modest production, Buffalo believed in him. That appeared to be the right choice as the defenceman led all QMJHL defenders in assists (55) and points (69) this past season, earning him the Emile-Bouchard Trophy as the top defender in the league. The Russian defender has steadily improved since coming to North America, showing off creativity at the blue line, an ability to draw defenders in, and the knack for finding his open teammates. He’s not afraid to fire a shot himself either. Defensively, he utilizes his size very well, using his strength to muscle people off pucks and his reach to knock pucks away and get in the passing lanes. While there was some question about his upside and potential, Komarov is looking more and more like an NHL player.

8. Adam Kleber

Kleber is a towering right-shot defender who showed remarkable growth throughout last season. After struggling in the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup and having a slow start in the USHL with Lincoln, he gradually gained confidence and improved his impact on both ends of the ice. A key factor in his development was the significant improvement in his skating, which became noticeably more powerful and fluid as the season progressed—a rare mid-season transformation that highlights his dedication and hard work. Defensively, Kleber became more effective at handling faster opponents, thanks to his improved mobility and impressive reach. Offensively, he began to take more risks as a puck mover, showing a newfound aggressiveness that hints at a higher upside. While he may never reach Cale Makar's level, his evolving confidence with the puck could push him beyond the role of a physical, stay-at-home defender. An NHL team would be wise to let him develop further at Minnesota-Duluth, allowing him to refine his puck skills and build confidence before turning pro.

9. Maxim Strbak

Drafted 45th overall by Buffalo, Maxim Strbak's freshman year at Michigan State was a solid, if unspectacular, debut. Known for his strong defensive positioning and ability to clear the crease, Strbak solidified himself as a reliable presence on the Spartans' blue line. While his offensive contributions were limited (two goals, nine points in 32 games), his defensive awareness and strong work ethic were valuable assets for the team. His skating remains a work in progress, particularly his top speed. This could limit his offensive upside at the NHL level. However, his ability to shut down plays, and make smart decisions with the puck, suggests he can carve out a niche as a dependable two-way defenceman. His development in the coming years will be crucial in determining whether he can become a top four option for the Sabres.

10. Viktor Neuchev

Viktor Neuchev is a tantalizing prospect with a rare blend of speed, skill, and creativity. At 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, he has the frame to play a power-forward role at the NHL level. Neuchev possesses a heavy shot that he can unleash with a quick release. He’s also surprisingly nimble for his size, showing good edgework and acceleration. The Russian winger boasts elite-level quickness, able to separate from defenders with ease and generate high-danger scoring chances. His vision and anticipation are equally impressive, consistently identifying soft spots in coverage and delivering precision passes to exploit them. While Neuchev must continue to develop his physicality and defensive awareness, his upside is significant. With continued growth, he could become a dynamic, top six forward and a key contributor on the power play. Neuchev's ceiling is high, and he's an exciting addition to the Sabres' prospect pipeline.

11. Aleksandr Kisakov

Aleksandr Kisakov is a dynamic offensive talent with high-end skating, agility, and edge work, enabling him to navigate through defenders and create scoring chances. His vision, anticipation, and quick release shot make him a constant threat. While he excels offensively and isn't afraid to battle along the boards, his defensive awareness needs improvement. With continued development, Kisakov has the potential to be a top six forward for the Sabres.

12. Brodie Ziemer

Brodie Ziemer may not always stand out during games with his average height and speed, but his intelligence and skill set make him a key player. As a former captain of Team USA at the U18 Worlds, he excels in tight spaces with excellent hands around the net, delivering subtle tips and strong support. Ziemer’s contributions go beyond offence; he's reliable on the penalty kill, blocks shots, and does the little things right. His deceptive strength and all-for-the-team mentality make him a valuable, Zach Hyman-like prospect.

13. Nikita Novikov

After being drafted back in 2021, 188th overall, Nikita Novikov finally made the jump overseas in 2023-24, dressing for the AHL’s Rochester Americans. The two-way defender showed off impressive abilities in his own end, using his long reach and strong positioning to shut down opponents. He also took strides forward in the offensive zone, showing improved confidence and assertiveness. He’s on track to a bottom-four role in the NHL in the near future.

14. Prokhor Poltapov

Before hearing his name called 33rd overall in 2021, Prokhor Poltapov looked like one of the most skilled players in the NHL Draft. Since then, he’s made the jump to the KHL where he’s struggled to translate his offensive talent. His decision-making and use of his teammates need improvement, but there’s no questioning the skill he brings. He’s going to need to work out how to adapt his game now that he’s playing against strong opponents.

15. Viljami Marjala

Viljami Marjala has been developing very well since being drafted back in 2021, going from the QMJHL to the U20 SM-sarja to the Liiga full-time in 2023-24. He impressed with 40 points in 60 games, showing off his deceptiveness and unpredictability as he navigated defences. Expect him to take another step forward in the Liiga this season before coming back to North America.

MCKEEN’S HOCKEY 2024 NHL DRAFT GUIDE: TWO-ROUND MOCK DRAFT

Brock Otten — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 15:03:17 +0000

#1. San Jose Sharks - Macklin Celebrini - C - Boston University (HE)

At this point, San Jose might as well announce this now. The entire hockey world knows that Celebrini is going to be its guy. This is a pivot without any true weaknesses who projects as a franchise leader for the Sharks moving forward. Think of the impact that Jonathan Toews had on turning the Blackhawks rebuild around.

#2. Chicago Blackhawks - Artyom Levshunov – D - Michigan State (B1G)

Part of me believes that Chicago might really like Sam Dickinson because of how much value they have been placing on skating in recent drafts, but another part believes that Levshunov will be the Hawks guy. We prefer Dickinson, but there’s no doubting that Levshunov has among the highest two-way upside of any defender in this draft. With his high-end skill and offensive aggressiveness, he’ll be able to give the Hawks a dynamic puck mover on both of their first two pairings (with Korchinski).

#3. Anaheim Ducks - Anton Silayev – D - Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)

On one hand, the Ducks haven’t used a Top 50 pick on a Russian based player (as in playing in the KHL, MHL, etc) since Stanislav Chistov in 2001. It’s obvious that they have preferences for other regions. However, what’s also obvious is the fit here. The Ducks have so many terrific puck moving defenders. The system is loaded. However, the team’s high end defensively oriented prospects have had their development stall like Noah Warren and Drew Helleson. Anaheim could see Silayev as an amazing fit beside guys like Mintyukov and Zellweger, allowing them to play freely and aggressively.

#4. Columbus Blue Jackets - Ivan Demidov – RW - SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)

The Jackets have had great success with young Russian players recently, even forming a great Russian kid line involving Chinakhov, Voronkov, and Marchenko. Not only is Demidov clearly the best player available at this point, but he also helps add significant skill to the wing for the organization that needs it. This is an offensive play driver solely needed.

#5. Montreal Canadiens - Cayden Lindstrom – C - Medicine Hat (WHL)

This is one of the best-case scenarios for Montreal. Is Lindstrom’s injury history a concern? Likely for some teams. However, the upside here is too large for Montreal to pass up. Not only is Lindstrom a fantastic young player, but he also helps the Canadiens get bigger and heavier up front, which was a reason for preferring Slafkovsky at first overall two years ago.

#6. Utah Hockey Club - Zeev Buium – D - Denver (NCHC)

Seems likely that Utah could lean towards taking one of the high-end offensive defenders available with this pick. In the last five drafts, the Coyotes have not taken a single player out of the OHL. This leads me to believe that Buium is a guy that the team could find really attractive at #6. He’s such an intelligent playmaker from the backend and he would really help Utah improve their transitional game and powerplay production.

#7. Ottawa Senators - Sam Dickinson – D - London (OHL)

Dickinson is the perfect defender for the modern era thanks to his high-end skating ability. He’s the kind of blueliner who projects as an all situations, minute eater. Given how terrific he has been in this year’s OHL playoffs (and the Memorial Cup), Ottawa likely sees him as a terrific fit as a “winner” who can help them get over the hump in the coming years. The Sens really need to hit on this pick and Dickinson is as safe as safe can be to be an impact player.

#8. Seattle Kraken - Beckett Sennecke – RW - Oshawa (OHL)

There is a ton of traction for Sennecke to be a high pick and Seattle strikes us as a likely landing spot. They’ve targeted the OHL pretty heavily and, playing in the Pacific, they want to load up their lineup with heavier players who can withstand the punishing style in the division. Sennecke oozes upside as an athletic winger still growing into his frame. He is skilled, physical, and intelligent. A great combination. Logic says Seattle finally uses their first on a defender, but something about this spot screams Sennecke.

#9. Calgary Flames - Tij Iginla – C - Kelowna (WHL)

Maybe this is far-fetched. But maybe it’s not. Teams don’t use top ten selections for the sole purpose of nostalgia. But how can you pass up the opportunity to draft an iconic name, who also happens to be worthy in this spot. Iginla was terrific in the second half of the year, and this gives Calgary an injection of skill and tenacity. He could have a similar impact to his father in Calgary.

#10. New Jersey Devils - Konsta Helenius – C - Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)

The Devils are a team that definitely don’t want to be picking in this range. The organization has been trying to escape the rebuilding phase, so would it not make sense for them to target a player who has great upside, but who can also make an impact pretty quickly? Helenius fits in well with the players already in New Jersey and the Devils have liked the region in recent drafts.

#11. Buffalo Sabres - Zayne Parekh – D - Saginaw (OHL)

Yeah, we know that the Sabres already have Dahlin and Power on the back end. That powerplay unit is already loaded. However, at some point, you have to say that Parekh is too good to let slide further. One of the draft’s most creative and intelligent defenders, Parekh is the ultimate wild card. He could go as high as the top five or fall out of the lottery all together. This would be great value for the Sabres.

#12. Philadelphia Flyers - Cole Eiserman – LW - U. S. NTDP U18

Often tagged as being the draft’s purest goal scorer, Eiserman had an up and down year with the NTDP. However, he still managed to break the program’s scoring record and that is impressive. Big wingers who can put the puck in the net do not grow on trees. While the Flyers could go defense here, having just dealt top prospect Cutter Gauthier for defender Jamie Drysdale, it seems unlikely that they will go that route.

#13. Minnesota Wild - Carter Yakemchuk – D - Calgary (WHL)

This seems low for Yakemchuk. But someone is going to need to fall a bit considering the talent available in the lottery. While Yakemchuk’s upside is significant, we think teams may have concerns over his puck management and skating combination. That said, he’s a great fit in Minnesota as a potential puck mover and triggerman who can help their powerplay and move quickly through the system.

#14. San Jose Sharks (via Pittsburgh Penguins) - Stian Solberg – D - Valerenga (Norway)

The draft is bound to get pretty wild around this point given the wild fluctuation among rankings. Solberg has had a ton of momentum the last month and we really like this fit. Solberg was tremendous at the World Championships, showing that he can impact the game in a lot of different ways. This is someone who can come in and be a defensive stalwart for the Sharks in the future.

#15. Detroit Red Wings - Berkly Catton – C - Spokane (WHL)

This is much lower than our ranking for Catton, but we realize that we may be more aggressive on him compared to the NHL community. He is the kind of play driver who can elevate Detroit’s first two lines in the future. He’s more skilled than Danielson and Kasper, but he has that same kind of high-end work ethic. If Catton is still available at fifteen, this should one hundred percent be his landing spot.

#16. St. Louis Blues - Trevor Connelly – LW - Tri-City (USHL)

Where does Connelly go? That’s one of the draft’s biggest questions considering the noise around his off-ice “issues.” However, we do think that someone bites considering Connelly has among the highest offensive upsides of any forward in this draft. The Blues need more firepower. They need more play drivers. Connelly is someone who can make this St. Louis team better down the line if he progresses well.

#17. Washington Capitals - Adam Jiricek – D - Plzen (Czechia)

It was a pretty tough draft year for Jiricek, after he missed the majority of the year with injury. However, he came into the year as a potential top ten selection for a reason. He’s talented and a potential two-way stalwart like his brother David. So many options here but could see the Caps lean defense if Jiricek is still on the board.

#18. Chicago Blackhawks (via New York Islanders) - Michael Brandsegg Nygard – RW - Mora (Allsvenskan)

The Hawks have really been focusing on selecting strong skaters in recent years, so there’s a chance that they team will jump on a guy like Jett Luchanko here. However, we like Brandsegg Nygard here for a few reasons. One, he’s one of the best players available. Two, he’s an excellent fit alongside some of the high-end skill that Chicago has brought in. His hard work and attention to detail could make him the kind of high-end role player that Chicago had during their Cup runs.

#19. Vegas Golden Knights - EJ Emery – D - U. S. NTDP U18

Did you know that Vegas has never drafted a player out of the U.S. NTDP? Seems wild, but this could be the year. Vegas has used their first selection on a center every year of existence. That kind of commitment is impressive. However, we believe that this is the year that the streak breaks. We love Emery’s physical tools and upside as a defensive stalwart, and he fits the exact mold of the kind of defender Vegas seems to love. The team’s defensive core is getting older, and he could be a great fit there in a few years.

#20. New York Islanders (via Tampa Bay Lightning) - Michael Hage – C - Chicago (USHL)

We like this potential landing spot for Hage. He was, perhaps, the best player in the USHL in the second half of the year. This was the real Michael Hage, after he put some personal turmoil behind him. He has upside as a top six, power center and his skill is badly needed in a prospect pool that is currently lacking it.

#21. Los Angeles Kings - Jett Luchanko – C - Guelph (OHL)

We know the Kings love the OHL. Luchanko would be a great pick here. The tenacious and intelligent pivot brings speed and playmaking ability to the table and looks like a future fixture as a second line center. There aren’t a ton of natural pivots in the system right now, so it also makes sense for Los Angeles to target that position, if a good one is available.

#22. Nashville Predators - Leo Sahlin Wallenius – D - Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)

A strong skating, potential two-way defender, Sahlin Wallenius proved to be a bit of a chameleon in his draft year. What’s his real future role? Regardless, the physical tools are going to be intriguing to a team like Nashville.

#23. Toronto Maple Leafs - Harrison Brunicke – D - Kamloops (WHL)

This would be the first time since 2018 that Toronto uses its first-round selection on a defender. We’d say it’s needed. Brunicke is a strong skating rearguard with upside at both ends. He excelled defensively at the U18’s and he’s the kind of modern-day defender that Toronto sorely lacks. The organization would have also seen a fair amount of Brunicke while scouting Fraser Minten in Kamloops.

#24. Colorado Avalanche - Igor Chernyshov – LW - Dynamo Moskva (KHL)

We could see Colorado moving this pick at the draft for some immediate help after their disappointing playoff performance. However, if they keep this selection, a guy like Chernyshov could make a ton of sense. He can attack with speed and power, playing a North/South game that fits their system.

#25. Ottawa Senators (via Boston Bruins) - Liam Greentree – RW - Windsor (OHL)

Back-to-back OHL players for Ottawa in our mock, this time the team selects Windsor winger Greentree, who has the potential to be a Jason Robertson kind of player in the future. He is creative and skilled but needs to improve his skating. We believe improving the team’s skill and finishing ability on the wing should be a focus.

#26. Montreal Canadiens (via Winnipeg Jets) - Sam O’Reilly – RW - London (OHL)

With a strong OHL playoffs and Memorial Cup performance, O’Reilly has surged up draft rankings to close out the year. The physical, two-way center has more offensive upside than he has shown thus far playing in a secondary scoring role. Worst case scenario could see him developing into a Scott Laughton type, which would still be terrific value at this point of the first.

#27. Carolina Hurricanes - Alfons Freij – D - Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)

The Hurricanes always seem to love the same kind of players that the amateur scouting community love. Freij is one of those amateur scouting darlings this year that we (as a community) seem to love more than the NHL community (as a whole). The skating ability and skill are evident. He was a standout at nearly every international event for Sweden and projects as a skilled top four defende

#28. Calgary Flames (via Vancouver Canucks) - Cole Beaudoin – C - Barrie (OHL)

After drafting Iginla early, the Flames opt for a different kind of forward late in the first. Beaudoin projects as the kind of guy you win in the playoffs with. He brings versatility. He brings leadership. He brings consistency. He is an intelligent playmaker and can excel as a middle six complementary piece. Just seems very likely that at least one NHL team likes his intangibles enough to draft him in the first.

#29. Dallas Stars - Emil Hemming – RW - TPS (Fin-Liiga)

The Stars haven’t drafted a player out of Finland since Miro Heiskanen in 2017, but we’d say that has worked out pretty well. At this point, Hemming fills a need and represents the best player available. He brings tenaciousness and he is one of the draft’s best goal scorers from the wing.

#30. New York Rangers - Charlie Elick - D - Brandon (WHL)

Elick has a similar profile to Braden Schneider when the Rangers drafted him and that worked out pretty well. The size, skating, and physicality combination make Elick a potential shutdown defender for a decade. His decision making needs to improve, but New York has actually improved this component in several of their defensive prospects.

#31. Anaheim Ducks (via Edmonton Oilers) - Julius Miettinen – C - Everett (WHL)

Miettinen improved by leaps and bounds over the course of the year and represents a big body with skill. His skating took a big leap from the beginning of the year to the end, and it has really improved his projection as a top six forward. Anaheim really seems to favor forwards with a well-rounded profile and that’s Miettinen.

#32. Philadelphia Flyers (via Florida Panthers) - Ben Danford – D - Oshawa (OHL)

This pick might surprise some people, but Danford is a player who rocketed up rankings in the second half as part of an Oshawa team that went to the OHL finals. He’s one of the better defensive players in the draft; a shot blocking expert who has terrific defensive instincts. He’s also a strong skater who has shown flashes of more offensively. Shades of Oliver Bonk here and that worked out really well so far.

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#33. San Jose Sharks - Dean Letourneau – C - St. Andrew's (CHS-Ontario)

There’s definitely a chance that Letourneau goes in the first, but we feel that teams may be more comfortable using a second on a prep player given that many of those chosen in the first have not developed well. The Sharks can take a chance on Letourneau, given the team’s window is a ways away. The big man oozes upside because of his athleticism.

#34. Chicago Blackhawks - Henry Mews – D - Ottawa (OHL)

With the Hawks focusing so much on strong skating ability, Mews makes sense here. He’s a terrific four-way mover who possesses excellent upside as an offensive defender. He’s a creative rush attacker and his defense did improve over the course of the season.

#35. Anaheim Ducks - Terik Parascak – RW - Prince George (WHL)

A highly intelligent playmaker, Parascak makes up for only average skating by being a step ahead of others mentally. He’s skilled. He’s tenacious. He projects as a quality complementary piece in the top six and he would fit in perfectly with what Anaheim already has in the system.

#36. Philadelphia Flyers (via Columbus Blue Jackets) - Sacha Boisvert – C - Muskegon (USHL)

Why not double down on a top goal scorer? After drafting the draft’s best in Cole Eiserman, the Flyers now take one of the other best options in power center Sasha Boivert. His skating needs to continue to improve, but he can really fire it.

#37. Winnipeg Jets (via Montreal Canadiens) - Cole Hutson – D - U. S. NTDP U18

Wouldn’t it be fitting if the Jets used the Montreal pick to select Lane’s brother Cole? Cole battled some injuries this year, but he closed out the year on a high note by returning for the U18’s. He can control the tempo with his handling ability and mobility. His defensive game is also probably more advanced compared to Lane’s at the same age.

#38. Utah Hockey Club - Teddy Stiga – C - U. S. NTDP U18

Back-to-back NTDP members are chosen here as Stiga ends up being Utah’s pick. He is a terrific complementary piece who was one of the NTDP’s most improved players this year. He plays at a feverish pace, and he is skilled and intelligent enough to play with high end, creative playmakers. Could be the perfect future linemate for Logan Cooley.

#39. Ottawa Senators - Linus Eriksson – C - Djurgardens (Allsvenskan)

Erikson is a strong skating, two-way center with a strong chance of developing into an excellent and versatile middle six piece. He was solid for Sweden internationally this year and adds great depth to Ottawa’s center position down the line.

#40. Seattle Kraken - Will Skahan – D - U. S. NTDP U18

One of the draft’s most physical defenders, Skahan is big, reasonably mobile, and projects as a top four shutdown blueliner. Seattle has never really drafted a player like Skahan, and we would argue that in order for them to take that next step, they’ll need players like him in the Pacific.

#41. Calgary Flames - Dominik Badinka – D - Malmo (SHL)

Strong, two-way defender who played a ton at the SHL level. His true offensive upside was hidden by playing sheltered minutes against men. The Flames opt for defense here and have had some luck taking Swedish based defenders in recent years (Badinka is Czech but played out of Sweden).

#42. San Jose Sharks (via New Jersey Devils) - Andrew Basha – LW - Medicine Hat (WHL)

The Sharks opt for a bit of a safer selection at this spot after really rolling the dice with the previous two picks. Basha is an excellent complementary piece who projects as someone who can elevate the play of a creative and skilled pivot. He could be the perfect linemate for the likes of Celebrini, Smith, or Eklund because he is skilled and does the dirty work to open up ice.

#43. Buffalo Sabres - Maxim Masse – RW - Chicoutimi (QMJHL)

Buffalo makes Masse the first QMJHL player off the board. He’s one of the better pure goal scorers in the draft and he plays a mature, pro style game that sees him get to the middle of the ice. The skating needs to keep improving, but this is a player who could fit in well with some of the others in Buffalo’s system.

#44. Pittsburgh Penguins (via Philadelphia Flyers) - Lucas Pettersson – C - MoDo Hockey (Swe J20)

With their first pick in the draft, the Penguins opt for Swedish center Lucas Pettersson. He’s a strong skating, two-way pivot who projects as a solid middle six piece who can play in a variety of different situations. Building up prospect depth needs to be a focus of Kyle Dubas, after the system was bled dry for the last half a decade.

#45. Minnesota Wild - Brodie Ziemer – RW - U. S. NTDP U18

A Minnesota native heading to the University of Minnesota, the Wild get the captain of this year’s NTDP. He projects as a terrific complementary piece in the top nine who can help bring out the best in more skilled players. He plays a heavier game, which fits in with the theme that Minnesota seems to be focusing on at the draft in recent years.

#46. Pittsburgh Penguins - Aron Kiviharju – D - HIFK (Fin-Liiga)

If there is a team that is going to take a chance on Kiviharju bringing everything together, the Penguins make a ton of sense. With a couple of seconds, they should be focusing on bringing in high upside players and Kiviharju is just that. Is there concern that he has plateaued? Absolutely. However, there’s also a chance that injuries this year really prevented him from being at his best.

#47. Detroit Red Wings - Leon Muggli – D - Zug (Sui-NL)

The Red Wings opt for Leon Muggli, a Swiss defender who really emerged as a top-notch NHL prospect this year. He showed well playing against men in the NL. He’s intelligent and mobile and should have a solid floor as an NHL rearguard in some capacity.

#48. St. Louis Blues - Matvei Shuravin – C - Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)

Long and lean Russian defender with intriguing two-way upside. He was a player who was hard to get a read on this year with his limited minutes in the KHL, however he has an intriguing combination of size and mobility. It’s possible that he reminds the Blues of drafting Colton Parayko back in the day.

#49. Utah Hockey Club (via Washington Capitals) - Yegor Surin – C - Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)

Utah and their scouts have not been shy about selecting Russian players in recent drafts. Surin is better than the 49th player selected. He is a competitive, but skilled pivot who could end up developing into a versatile player for Utah down the line. Maybe the perfect linemate for fellow Russian Daniil But?

#50. Chicago Blackhawks (via New York Islanders) - John Mustard – C - Waterloo (USHL)

One of the best names in the draft, but also one of the best skaters. Mustard had a breakout campaign in the USHL this year. He’s an explosive player and a talented goal scorer. However, he is also an intense competitor, something that should make Mustard an NHL player in some capacity if the offensive game doesn’t translate.

#51. Philadelphia Flyers (Compensation Pick for Jay O’Brien) - Ryder Ritchie – RW - Prince Albert (WHL)

Ranked as a first rounder by us, there is thought that we are higher on him than NHL scouts after a bit of a disappointing second half mired by injuries. Ritchie is a competitive winger who plays bigger than his size (excuse the cliche). He has solid upside as a complementary piece on a scoring line. This is a nice swing for Philadelphia with their compensation pick.

#52. Washington Capitals (via Vegas Golden Knights) - Marek Vanacker – LW - Brantford (OHL)

The Capitals opt for speedy Hamilton winger Marek Vanacker, the last of our first round graded players. He was extremely consistent all year long and has intriguing offensive upside because of the pace he can play at. Washington would be very familiar with him thanks to their scouting of Patrick Thomas.

#53. Nashville Predators (via Tampa Bay Lightning) - Heikki Ruohonen – C - Kiekko-Espoo (Fin-U20)

The Preds have long loved Finnish players, with a strong presence in that market. Ruohonen was one of the biggest risers in the second half of the year; he was excellent at the U18’s for the Finns. He is a competitive, two-way, power center eventually heading to Harvard.

#54. New York Islanders (via Los Angeles Kings) - Adam Kleber – D - Lincoln (USHL)

Kleber is a massive defender whose game really improved over the second half of the year. His mobility, in particular, really took a positive step forward. The USHL rearguard projects as a physical stay at home type, but he does flash some intriguing offensive tools too.

#55. Nashville Predators - Mikhail Yegorov – G - Omaha (USHL)

There has been a ton of talk about Nashville moving on from Juuse Saros, handing over the keys to Askarov. However, there isn’t much of a back-up plan behind Askarov if he doesn't pan out. Taking a goalie makes sense for the Preds in round two and Yegorov is an excellent athlete who their goaltending development coaches can really work with.

#56. St. Louis Blues (via Toronto Maple Leafs) - Luke Misa – C - Mississauga (OHL)

Misa is a speedy, two-way forward who projects as a solid middle six option for St. Louis down the line. He had a solid year for Mississauga in the OHL and is the type of player who could move quickly through the system as a later birthday.

#57. Montreal Canadiens (via Colorado Avalanche) - Tory Pitner - Youngstown (USHL)

Montreal has done well by selecting heady defenders in recent years and Pitner is definitely that. He’s one of the draft's most intelligent blueliners, especially in the defensive end. He competes hard and projects as a solid two-way, second pairing type.

#58. Anaheim Ducks (via Boston Bruins) - Tarin Smith – D - Everett (WHL)

A team with an already loaded defensive talent pool can afford to take chances on high upside defenders like Smith. He’s very raw, but his physical tools are excellent. He skates well. He can create offense. How it all comes together remains to be seen, but Anaheim can afford to be patient.

#59. Nashville Predators (via Winnipeg Jets) - Adam Jecho – C - Edmonton (WHL)

An enigma to the highest degree, Jecho is one of the draft’s ultimate boom or bust prospects. At times, he dominates in the offensive end with his size and skill. Other times, he looks lumbering, lazy, and disengaged. Which Jecho will emerge as the real one? Nashville has always loved wingers like this with high end physical tools.

#60. Carolina Hurricanes - Nikita Artamonov – LW - Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)

This just seems like an amazing fit. The Canes have loved players like Artamanov. High end processor. Not the quickest or most physical, but efficient. They’ve also been one of the most aggressive NHL franchises in drafting Russian talent recently.

#61. New York Islanders (via Vancouver Canucks) - AJ Spellacy – RW - Windsor (OHL)

Spellacy was outstanding in the second half of the OHL season after he fully recovered from a knee injury. He has great length and speed and projects as a high end third line player who can be an elite penalty killer and defensive forward. The last Windsor forward NYI took worked out well.

#62. Calgary Flames (via Dallas Stars) - Raoul Boilard – C - Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)

What’s the finished product going to look like with Boilard? This is completely unknown due to some consistency issues. However, the Flames need to improve their center depth in the organization and Boilard is a rangy pivot who could end up being a solid middle six piece.

#63. Seattle Kraken (via New York Rangers) - Jesse Pulkkinen – D - JYP (Fin-Liiga)

The first re-entry to go in this mock draft, Seattle has not shied away from selecting players outside of their first year of eligibility. Pulkkinen is a big offensive defender who plays an aggressive style. He needs major refinement, but the tools are there.

#64. Edmonton Oilers - Pavel Moysevich – G - SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)

Have to think the Oilers go with a goalie here if there is one on the board that they really like. Moysevich is a re-entry who was fantastic in the KHL this past season. He is one of the draft’s best athletes and he could move quickly through the system.

#65. Utah Hockey Club (via Florida Panthers) - Jack Pridham – RW - West Kelowna (BCHL)

There is a connection between Utah (previously Arizona) and the St. Andrew’s College program of late. Pridham is a graduate of that program who had a solid year in the BCHL. He is a big winger with great skating ability. The upside is a bit of a mystery, but the tools are legitimate.

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL DRAFT GUIDE – TOP 32 FINAL RANKINGS

Brock Otten — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 16:00:27 +0000

It’s that time! The McKeen’s scouting staff has finalized our final rankings for the 2024 NHL Draft ahead of the release of our draft guide releasing soon. This year, the McKeen’s team has made the executive decision to rank 300 players outright, rather than include honorable mentions. This is a change in our previous methodology.

As has been the case all season long, Macklin Celebrini remains our top ranked prospect and we expect him to be the first overall selection by the San Jose Sharks. Rounding out the top five are Russian winger Ivan Demidov, London defenseman Sam Dickinson, power center Cayden Lindstrom, and the fast-rising Tij Iginla. Iginla was ranked 12th on our midseason list, but his strong finish to the WHL season, coupled with his excellent U18 performance, has elevated him into our top five.

Filling out our top ten are Michigan State defender Artyom Levshunov, spark plug center Berkly Catton, towering defender Anton Silayev, Denver defender Zeev Buium, and Western defender Carter Yakemchuk. Buium moves up from 15th at midseason thanks to his remarkable consistency all year long, in addition to a great Frozen Four performance for Denver. While Russian blueliner Silayev moves out of our top five after a lukewarm second half that saw his offensive production drop off.

Other players who have elevated their stock significantly include Norwegian defender Stian Solberg, Oshawa winger Beckett Sennecke, NTDP defender EJ Emery, Finnish power forward Julius Miettinen, offensive blueliner Cole Hutson, gritty Barrie forward Cole Beaudoin, Oshawa defender Ben Danford, and speedy Brantford winger Marek Vanacker. Solberg jumps up over 30 spots, springboarding into our first round after a terrific second half in the Norwegian men’s league, followed by an eye-opening performance at the men’s World Championships. The athletic and projectable Sennecke also makes a huge jump, from the late first to the earlier first after an outstanding second half and playoff performance for Oshawa, helping the team make the OHL finals.

Other players who have seen their stock drop include Henry Mews, Adam Jecho, Maxim Masse, Raoul Boilard, Jesse Pulkkinen, Aron Kiviharju, and Simon Zether. Ottawa defender Henry Mews has fallen out of our first round due to consistency and defensive engagement concerns. We still value his upside but believe other players have had stronger second half pushes. The same can be said about Finnish defender Aron Kiviharju. Injuries derailed his development this year and his performance at the U18’s (albeit coming off a long layoff) was uninspiring.

As far as goaltenders go, none cracked our top 50. We love the depth for the position this year, and as such, we would feel more comfortable waiting longer to select our first netminder in 2024. Owen Sound’s Carter George, and Russian netminders Pavel Moysevich and Mikhail Yegorov are our top netminders.

Overall, the strength of this draft crop has really grown on us as a scouting team. Early on in the season, we weren’t enamored with the quality of top end players available, nor the depth. The defenseman group available has always been deemed as strong, but what has really elevated this crop is the fact that so many forwards finished the year well, altering their projection and draft standing. We feel that those drafting inside the top 20 have a great chance of grabbing a high impact player.

Look for the release of our 2024 Draft Guide soon (Week of June 10^th). It will include all of our rankings and reports, a mock draft, a preview of the 2025 NHL Draft, and much more.

Subscribers can see the full Top 300 Ranking here.

If you are interested in a subscription, you can learn more here.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	HT/WT	DOB	TEAM	GP	G/GAA	A/SV%	PTS	PIM
1	Macklin Celebrini	C	6-0/190	13-Jun-06	Boston University (HE)	38	32	32	64	18
2	Ivan Demidov	RW	5-11/180	10-Dec-05	SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)	30	23	37	60	20
3	Sam Dickinson	D	6-3/200	7-Jun-06	London (OHL)	68	18	52	70	30
4	Cayden Lindstrom	C	6-3/210	3-Feb-06	Medicine Hat (WHL)	32	27	19	46	66
5	Tij Iginla	C	6-0/185	1-Aug-06	Kelowna (WHL)	64	47	37	84	35
6	Artyom Levshunov	D	6-2/205	28-Oct-05	Michigan State (B1G)	38	9	26	35	44
7	Berkly Catton	C	5-10/170	14-Jan-06	Spokane (WHL)	68	54	62	116	41
8	Anton Silayev	D	6-7/210	11-Apr-06	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	63	3	8	11	10
9	Zeev Buium	D	6-0/185	7-Dec-05	Denver (NCHC)	42	11	39	50	20
10	Carter Yakemchuk	D	6-3/200	29-Sep-05	Calgary (WHL)	66	30	41	71	120
11	Zayne Parekh	D	6-0/180	15-Feb-06	Saginaw (OHL)	66	33	63	96	64
12	Michael Hage	C	6-0/190	14-Apr-06	Chicago (USHL)	54	33	42	75	53
13	Konsta Helenius	C	5-11/180	11-May-06	Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)	51	14	22	36	10
14	Beckett Sennecke	RW	6-2/175	28-Jan-06	Oshawa (OHL)	63	27	41	68	67
15	Cole Eiserman	LW	6-0/195	29-Aug-06	USN U18 (USDP)	57	58	31	89	34
16	Michael Brandsegg-Nygard	RW	6-1/195	5-Oct-05	Mora (Allsvenskan)	41	8	10	18	19
17	Liam Greentree	RW	6-2/210	1-Jan-06	Windsor (OHL)	64	36	54	90	33
18	Trevor Connelly	LW	6-0/160	28-Feb-06	Tri-City (USHL)	52	31	47	78	88
19	Alfons Freij	D	6-0/185	12-Feb-06	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)	40	14	19	33	14
20	EJ Emery	D	6-3/185	30-Mar-06	USN U18 (USDP)	61	0	16	16	61
21	Jett Luchanko	C	5-11/185	21-Aug-06	Guelph (OHL)	68	20	54	74	36
22	Harrison Brunicke	D	6-2/185	8-May-06	Kamloops (WHL)	49	10	11	21	47
23	Stian Solberg	D	6-2/195	29-Dec-05	Valerenga (Norway)	42	5	10	15	47
24	Adam Jiricek	D	6-2/180	28-Jun-06	Plzen (Czechia)	19	0	1	1	2
25	Emil Hemming	RW	6-1/200	27-Jun-06	TPS (Fin-Liiga)	40	7	4	11	0
26	Ryder Ritchie	RW	6-0/175	3-Aug-06	Prince Albert (WHL)	47	19	25	44	24
27	Dominik Badinka	D	6-3/185	27-Nov-05	Malmo (SHL)	33	1	3	4	6
28	Sacha Boisvert	C	6-2/180	17-Mar-06	Muskegon (USHL)	61	36	32	68	86
29	Julius Miettinen	C	6-2/205	20-Jan-06	Everett (WHL)	66	31	36	67	32
30	Yegor Surin	C	6-1/190	1-Aug-06	Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)	42	22	30	52	108
31	Leo Sahlin Wallenius	D	5-11/175	10-Apr-06	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)	43	11	31	42	38
32	Marek Vanacker	LW	6-0/175	12-Apr-06	Brantford (OHL)	68	36	46	82	55

Konsta Helenius – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #15 Buffalo Sabres – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Prospect System Ranking – 15th (Last year - 18th) GM: Jarmo Kekalainen Hired: December 2025 COACH: Lindy Ruff Hired: April 2024

Radim Mrtka, D, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) (Rochester Americans, AHL)

Konsta Helenius, C, Rochester Americans (AHL)

Anton Wahlberg, C, Rochester Americans (AHL)

Vsevolod Komarov, D, Rochester Americans (AHL)

Brodie Ziemer, RW, University of Minnesota (NCAA)

Adam Kleber, D, University of Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA)

Luke Osburn, D, University of Wisconsin (NCAA)

Gavin McCarthy, D, University of Boston (NCAA) (Currently with Rochester Americans, AHL)

Nikita Novikov, D, Rochester Americans (AHL)

Maxim Strbak, D, Michigan State University (NCAA) (Currently with Rochester Americans, AHL)

Jake Richard, RW, University of Connecticut (NCAA)

Prokhor Poltapov, LW, CSKA Moscow (KHL)

Ryan Rucinski, C, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)

Melvin Novotny, LW, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)

Noah Laberge, D, Newfoundland Regiments (QMJHL)

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – BUFFALO SABRES – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #18

Buffalo Sabres Top-15 Prospects

1 - Radim Mrtka

2 - Konsta Helenius

3 - Noah Östlund

4 - Isak Rosén

5 - Anton Wahlberg

6 - Vsevolod Komarov

7 - Adam Kleber

8 - Maxim Strbak

9 - Brodie Ziemer

10 - Jake Richard

11 - Nikita Novikov

12 - Prokhor Poltapov

13 - Viktor Neuchev

14 - Topias Leinonen

15 - Tyson Kozak

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #22 BUFFALO SABRES – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

WORLD JUNIORS GOLD MEDAL GAME: Team USA gets a date with destiny

This edition of Team USA are focused on their own path

Finland remains a fixture in the World Juniors' medal round

2025 WORLD JUNIORS: Augustine “lights out” in New Year’s Eve win against Canada

Sweden, Finland cruise to comfortable victories

AHL SCOUTING REPORT (Video + Grades) – Konsta Helenius, C, Rochester Americans

Konsta Helenius

Characteristics

Skating

Shot

Skills

Smarts

Physicality/Compete

OFP: 55.5

2025 WORLD JUNIORS: Team Preview – Team Finland

Key Players

Konsta Helenius, Center

Kasper Halttunen, Winger

Emil Hemming, Winger

Rasmus Kumpalainen, Center

Emil Pieniniemi, Defense

Kalle Kangas, Defense

Noa Vali, Goaltender

Aron Kiviharju, Defense

Julius Miettinen, Winger

Jesse Kiiskinen, Winger

Sleeper Player

Topias Hynninen, Center

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – BUFFALO SABRES – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #12

Buffalo Sabres Top-15 Prospects

1. Devon Levi

2. Jiri Kulich

3. Konsta Helenius

4. Noah Ostlund

5. Anton Wahlberg

6. Isak Rosen

7. Vsevolod Komarov

8. Adam Kleber

9. Maxim Strbak

10. Viktor Neuchev

11. Aleksandr Kisakov

12. Brodie Ziemer

13. Nikita Novikov

14. Prokhor Poltapov

Prospect System Ranking – 15th (Last year - 18th)
GM: Jarmo Kekalainen Hired: December 2025
COACH: Lindy Ruff Hired: April 2024