Patrick WilliamsTheAHL.com Features Writer
The 2025-26 season has begun Konsta Helenius in the Rochester Americans’ season opener back on Oct. 10.
On the way to the Amerks’ advance to the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic, he played his first nine NHL games, scored his first NHL goal, went to the Calder Cup Playoffs, joined the Buffalo Sabers for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and then joined Finland in the IIHF World Championship.
Oh, and he turned 20 last month.
His season ended Sunday night in Zurich, where his golden overtime goal against hosts Switzerland won Finland gold for the third time in the last seven tournaments.
Helenius flicked the puck off his wing inside the Swiss box up top before sweeping down the right, breaking the cover, and sneaking past the goalie. Leonardo Genoni 10:42 in overtime to win 1-0. Justus Annunenwho played four seasons for the Colorado Eagles, made 22 saves in the shutout. Finland won six of seven games in the round robin before knocking out Czechia, Canada and unbeaten Switzerland.
It was a big Sunday for AHL prospects. In the Canada-Norway bronze medal match earlier in the day at the Swiss Life Arena, Noah SteenThe extra-time goal earned Norway its first medal in the tournament. Steen, 22, was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the seventh round in 2024 and has seven goals in 10 games in the tournament. After finishing his Swedish Hockey League season with Örebro, the Lightning gave him a late season appearance with the Syracuse Crunch. He finished with a goal in five regular season games before playing in two more in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
For Helenus, Sunday was the latest big moment in a season that has lasted nearly nine months. He led Rochester with 63 points (21 goals, 42 assists) in 63 games to tie for ninth in the league in scoring. The Sabres, who selected Helenus 14th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, opted to start him in Rochester as an 18-year-old last season. He finished with 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) in 65 games in his first season with the Amerks and was named to the 2024-25 AHL Top Prospects team.
After the Toronto Marlies eliminated the Americans from the Calder Cup Playoffs, the Sabers promoted Helenus. He entered their second round Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens and finished with two goals in four games. When Buffalo was eliminated in a Game 7 overtime loss on May 18, he accepted an invitation to join Finland. The team quickly employed Helenius, using him on the top line alongside NHL veterans Alexander Barkov again Mikael Granlund. Helenius finished with six points (three goals, three assists) in six games against Europe and North America.
Finland had a significant taste of the AHL from this season to its roster and even beyond Helenus. Joining Helenus as gold medalists is the defender Places to stay in Heinola (Manitoba Moose) and onwards Lenny Hämeenaho (Utica Comets). Among AHL alumni, forward Aatu RätyCalder Cup champion last year with the Abbotsford Canucks, has another title. Jesse PuljujärviCalder Cup runner-up to Charlotte Checkers against Räty’s Canucks, had nine points (four goals, five assists) in 10 games for Finland. Other AHL alumni include Henri Jokiharju, Olli Mättä, Nikolas Matinpalo, Vili Saarijärvi again Urho Vaakanainen on the Finnish blue line. In front is Granlund, Janne Kuokkanen, Saku Mäenalanen, Sakari Manninen, Walter Merelä again Teuvo Teräväinen. Joining Annunen they won the 2016 Calder Cup Joonas Korpisalo again Harri Säteri.
Norway’s roster, which hadn’t finished in the top 10 at the World Championships since 2012, included the Grand Rapids Griffins up front. Michael Brandsegg-NygårdSan Diego Gulls defenseman Stian Solbergand AHL alums Andreas Martinsen again Emilio Pettersen.
In the American Hockey League for two decades, TheAHL.com features writer Patrick Williams and currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for the league’s top scorer in 2016.
