It’s important to add a disclaimer. Playing the Hartford Wolf Pack will make any offense look good. It’s why great performances must be adjusted for inflation. This is most noteworthy in the third period of games, where the Wolf Pack have blown games throughout the early showing of the season. That said, the Rochester Americans proved on Friday night why their offense is great and fun to watch.
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The Americans can score and score in bunches. They had four goals in their 4-3 overtime winner and are averaging 3.33 goals per game this season. While the defense, specifically, the goaltending, has struggled (you can blame the trade rumors getting to Devin Levi for that), the offense is carrying the “Amerks” to another great season. This is a team where the Calder Cup is expected, and they can win it behind their offense.
The Prospects Leading The Americans
The big name in the Buffalo Sabres pipeline is Konsta Helenius. The Finnish winger was an all-first team American Hockey League (AHL) selection last season, and it’s easy to see why. With speed and skill on the wing or at the center position when needed, he has that game-changing talent that can take an offense to the next level.
This season, Helenius has four goals and seven assists to lead the Americans in points. He makes the biggest impact in space but is also a great passer, which was on display when he assisted the second Amerks goal against the Wolf Pack.
Helenius is the prospect everyone is watching closely. A skater who is sneaking up on everyone is right-wing forward Viktor Neuchev. It took him a few seasons to acclimate to the AHL but at 22, he’s finally finding his rhythm, and it’s making a difference for the Americans. In 15 games, he’s scored four goals and six assists to provide a big spark.
The Sabres are always the team everyone anticipates to tear it down. If they miss the playoffs for a 15th season in a row, maybe they’ll rebuild after a failed rebuild (after a failed rebuild). If they do so, or simply ask for a youth movement, expect to hear Helenius and Nuchev’s names.
Kuntar & The Veterans
Trevor Kuntar is playing out his first season with the Amerks and third season at the AHL level. He looks great to begin the season. He found the back of the net twice against the Wolf Pack to bring his goal total up to seven on the season. His ability to make plays stands out but his scoring is making the difference with the Americans.
He’s 24 but like a lot of young players, he’s an old guy at the AHL level who teams were quick to give up on. The Providence Bruins selected Kuntar in the third round of the 2020 draft, yet they weren’t high on him. It’s allowed the Americans to add a scoring presence who, oddly, is a veteran presence.
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The great teams in the AHL have players like Kuntar on them. The Hershey Bears won two Calder Cup titles with veterans playing at a high level. The Bruins have a four-headed monster at forward that comes at teams in waves. Kuntar is one of the many veterans fueling a potent Amerks offense.
Amerks System Unlocks Offense
The fascination with the Americans is that they move the puck differently than most AHL teams. Typically, teams are looking to play North-South and forecheck to overwhelm an opponent. Sure, teams like to find the open skaters but the priority is getting the puck on the net and have the skaters around to collapse on the goaltender if there’s a loose puck. The Amerks move the puck East-West, more so than most teams in the league.
They look for the cross-ice pass and search for the open skater in the offensive zone, even when they might be on the other side of the ice. It’s allowed the forwards to find open looks on pile on the goals. It’s about as close as an AHL team will get to playing a European style of hockey, and it’s working.
The irony is that Helenius played this style of hockey overseas as a prospect from Finland. It’s helped him pick up where he left off and become a top prospect for the Sabres. His play fitting in is also a credit to head coach Mike Leone, who is getting the most out of his group and is putting himself on the map for NHL spots behind the bench.
