Helenius, Ostlund, Kulich ready to take center stage in Buffalo

As he’s broken into the NHL in Buffalo, Konsta Helenius has been living with his Sabres teammate and fellow Finn, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Just as Henri Jokiharju hosted a young Luukkonen a few years ago, the goalie has continued the tradition.

Helenius, the roommate, has drawn mixed reviews so far. Luukkonen claims the 20-year-old scratched his Audi; Helenius denies it. Overall, though, they’ve appreciated one another’s company as Luukkonen helps Helenius settle in as a North American pro.

“I feel like he’s such a confident guy. He knows that he’s a great hockey player, and there’s not necessarily always help that he needs on that side of things,” Luukkonen said. “But you always try to just guide him maybe not to do the same mistakes, or those hard parts of being a young player in this league.”

Helenius, the forward, has looked like a star in the making. Productive through 13 games with the Sabres, including four under the playoff spotlight, he’s made his case for a spot in the 2026-27 opening-night lineup. The 2024 first-round pick feels he belongs, and the early results – in Buffalo and internationally – back that up.

“[Young players] get to make that decision,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “They come in, they play really well, usually they push somebody out, and they say, ‘I’m here to stay.’”

The present is bright in Buffalo, with the Sabres snapping the drought, winning the Atlantic Division and coming one goal short of the Eastern Conference Final. The future should be, too; while 21-year-old winger Zach Benson was the biggest star of this year’s playoff run, he’s got company with a trio of talented young centers who should be key cogs in the lineup for years to come.

‘An elite player and super confident’

Helenius, though only 19 at the time, debuted in January with a wealth of experience. He’d already gotten his feet wet in Finland’s professional Liiga, played in the IIHF’s World Juniors and World Championship and thrived in the AHL with Rochester. That résumé, Luukkonen feels, explains the confidence Helenius brought to Buffalo.

In just his second NHL game, the Jan. 20 win at Nashville, Helenius had a goal and two assists in the first period alone. He played nine regular season games for Buffalo, then rejoined the Amerks at the Olympic break and finished his All-Star sophomore season with 63 points in 63 games.

The Sabres brought Helenius back for the playoffs as a Black Ace – the de facto practice squad – but quickly reincorporated him into the NHL group. And when they needed a spark midway through the second-round series against Montreal, Helenius stepped in and delivered two goals, a handful of other great scoring chances and his usual, strong defensive play.

“I had a great season in Rochester,” Helenius said, “so if I ever got the chance to play, I just wanted to be ready and do my best and not change my game.”

“We knew he was a good player; he had a great season in Rochester,” echoed general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen. “And then you put him in the playoffs, and we have talks with the coaching staff that he’s good, he’s probably ready to play with the duties of a center-iceman. He goes in and plays great.”

These Sabres established a culture where young players could step in and fit in, and the always-smiling Helenius was a seamless addition.

“I love having him around. He’s hilarious and keeps the room light,” Benson said. “But at the same time, he’s an elite player and super confident. I think that allowed him to flourish in the playoffs.”

Once Buffalo’s season ended, Helenius headed straight to Switzerland for the IIHF World Championship, where he shined with three goals and three assists – including the gold medal-winning goal in overtime versus Switzerland, following in Tage Thompson’s footsteps from a year ago. If the Canadiens series had left any doubt, the 2026 Worlds confirmed Helenius’ big-game pedigree.

Plus, he shared a line there with NHL veterans Aleksander Barkov and Mikael Granlund. Exposure to the three-time Selke Trophy winner Barkov, especially, should further Helenius’ development as a two-way force for the Sabres.

“For being such a young guy, the way he plays the game is so mature,” Thompson said. “… I’m really excited to see the summer he has, and coming into camp, he’s going to be a big piece for us moving forward.”

‘The hockey IQ’s off the charts’

Injuries limited Noah Ostlund to just seven periods in the playoffs, but like Helenius, he made an immediate impact. With Buffalo struggling for offense in Game 3 at Boston, Ostlund grabbed a puck in the neutral zone, weaved into the left corner and threaded a perfect pass to Bowen Byram for the tying goal.

The Swedish center capped off his playoff debut by outracing three Bruins to bury an empty netter and seal the 3-1 Sabres win, although his postseason would end a few days later with a lower-body injury in Game 5. He might’ve returned later in the playoffs had Buffalo beaten Montreal.

“When we lost him in the playoffs,” Ruff reflected, “I considered that a big loss.”

Ostlund had 27 points (11+16) in 60 games as a rookie, and while he’s far from a finished product – his faceoffs, notably, have room for improvement – the 2022 first-round pick is already one of Buffalo’s most gifted playmakers, the Byram assist being a great example. He also performed well on the right flank of the power play when given the opportunity.

“I mean, the hockey IQ’s off the charts,” Alex Tuch said.

Defensively, Ruff trusts Ostlund against the NHL’s top players and uses him accordingly. To summarize his impact: Leaguewide this regular season, 492 players skated 700 or more minutes at 5-on-5. The Sabres allowed 1.81 goals per 60 minutes with Ostlund on the ice, 23rd best on that list of 492.

Every team wants their centers to play responsible, 200-foot hockey; not many 22-year-olds can handle it.

“Finding out that a guy like Noah Ostlund can play in the middle of the ice and be successful right off the bat is huge for our future,” Kekäläinen said.

“It’s been a good year for me, establishing myself a little bit more on the team," Ostlund said. “And I think I have much more to give, too. I think I was a little bit up and down. I’m happy overall; feel like I have much more to give.”

‘We missed him a lot this year’

Think back a year ago. Underwhelming as the 2024-25 season was, a strong final month revealed something: The Sabres had a legitimate first- or second-line center in Jiri Kulich. The former 28th-overall pick finished his rookie season with 15 goals, looked the part on a line with Thompson and, continuing the theme, defended well.

“He was the No. 1 center playing against every top line,” Ruff said. “… It just told me this guy can play against anybody. He can outskate guys. He transported pucks out of the zone. Lethal shot that was scoring big goals.”

Then, last November, a blood clot ended Kulich’s 2025-26 campaign just 12 games in, so as the Sabres marched to the playoffs, one of their (expected) top players was stuck skating on his own and practicing that shot off the ice. Kulich admittedly gained some weight and surely built up some rust, but he feels good and expects to be ready for opening night this October.

“It was a tough, tough year,” he said. “But at the same time, I could take advantage of it in a positive way, just trying to be a better player. This year helped me even to be a better person, too. It was kind of a rollercoaster, because the only thing I was asking myself was if I’m gonna be able to play hockey again.”

Though out of the lineup, Kulich stayed locked in on the Sabres – “I watched every single shift,” he said – and was always around the team and locker room. So, on the social side, he won’t have missed too much when the guys reconvene in September.

On the hockey side, things might not click immediately after 11 months without games. But if the 22-year-old can return to his rookie form, Buffalo will have yet another young weapon at its disposal up the middle.

“We missed him a lot this year. … He’s just a lot of fun to have around,” Jason Zucker said. “As a player, he's an unbelievable talent, and I think it's going to be great for him to be able to get back into his training and get back on the ice and feel good and come into camp ready to go.”

“I have so much time right now to work on me as a player,” added Kulich. “And the only thing I care about is winning. So, I just want to work hard as I can possibly do and be ready for next season and be even better than I was. I’m just so excited.”

‘They’re just going to take over’

Helenius, Ostlund and Kulich have followed similar paths to this point. Early professional experience in their European homelands. Drafted by Buffalo in the first round. Developed in Rochester and acclimated to North American hockey under coaches like Michael Leone and Vinny Prospal.

They’ve each quickly become impact players in the NHL, and they’re major parts of why, after this special 2025-26 season, things should continue trending upward for the Sabres.

“It seems like all those young guys are gamers, which excites me,” captain Rasmus Dahlin said. “They have that competitive edge to their game. They’re not afraid to get into dirty areas. They’re unbelievable teammates, no egos. I can’t be more happy with what we’ve drafted here, because they fit right in, and they elevate us as a team.

“All those guys are going to be huge parts of the team. They’re just going to take over, actually.”