Riku Helenius

Last updated

Riku Helenius
Riku Helenius 2016.jpg
Helenius in 2016
Born (1988-03-01) March 1, 1988 (age 37)
Pälkäne, Finland
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 183 lb (83 kg; 13 st 1 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
DEL2 team Dresdner Eislöwen
Played for Tampa Bay Lightning
Södertälje SK
JYP Jyväskylä
Jokerit
KalPa
Ilves
Lahti Pelicans
NHL draft 15th overall, 2006
Tampa Bay Lightning
Playing career 20082021

Riku Helenius (born March 1, 1988) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey goaltender.

Contents

Playing career

Helenius was selected 15th overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning, [1] partly on the strength of his silver medal-winning performance for the Finnish national men's hockey team in the 2006 under-18 World Junior Championships. He played for Ilves during the 2006–07 season, but due to a shoulder injury only played four games.

The Seattle Thunderbirds selected Helenius with the 46th overall selection in the 2007 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft. Helenius joined the Thunderbirds roster at the start of the 2007–2008 season. In December 2007, Helenius was selected as goalie for the Finnish World Junior Team in the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championships. [2]

On October 17, 2008, Helenius was assigned to the Augusta Lynx of the ECHL. He played his first NHL game on January 30, 2009, against the Philadelphia Flyers. [2]

In 2009, he went on to play for Södertälje SK after playing just 10 games for the Norfolk Admirals.

For the 2011–12 season he returned to Finland and signed with JYP Jyväskylä of the SM-liiga, where he won the league championship and the Urpo Ylönen trophy for best goaltender.

After a great season in Finland, Steve Yzerman, General Manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning, expressed interest in bringing Helenius back to North America, [3] as he was still a Lightning prospect. On June 13, 2012, Helenius signed a two-year contract with the Lightning. [4]

In the midst of the 2013–14 season, with Helenius unable to make an impact up the Lightning's depth chart, on February 22, 2014, he was placed on $125 unconditional waivers, which would bring his contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning to an mutual end. [5]

On April 14, 2014, Helenius agreed to a multi-year contract with Finnish club Jokerit of the KHL. [6]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGPWLOTLMINGA SO GAA SV% GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
2007–08 Seattle Thunderbirds WHL 412212623589532.42.9159455342402.70.911
2008–09 Augusta Lynx ECHL 83414633404.41.874
2008–09 Mississippi Sea Wolves ECHL3111184702.28.944
2008–09 Norfolk Admirals AHL 25915013886312.72.918
2008–09 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 10007000.001.000
2008–09 Elmira Jackals ECHL201871006.90.787
2009–10 Norfolk AdmiralsAHL125707193302.75.896
2009–10 Sodertalje SK SEL 95452202.42.922
2010–11 Sodertalje SKSEL189114603.03.884
2011–12 JYP FIN 33179519085271.64.936131128332401.73
2012–13 Syracuse Crunch AHL321714017727642.57.900
2013–14 Syracuse CrunchAHL52302971703.43.875
2013–14 Florida Everblades ECHL40201481506.08.797
2014–15 Jokerit KHL 22145212725022.36.91811060101.00.944
2015–16 JokeritKHL2176410454222.41.891
2016–17 JokeritKHL20106412195402.66.902
2017–18 KalPa FIN40402351102.80.899
2017–18 Ilves FIN27129415147112.81.889
2018–19 IlvesFIN321211818458622.69.885
2019–20 JYPFIN101060505.00.773
2019–20 Lahti Pelicans FIN3010981006.13.760
NHL totals10007000.001.000

International

YearTeamEventResultGPWLTMINGASOGAASV%
2006 Finland WJC18 Silver medal icon.svg64113601111.83.942
2008 Finland WJC 6th42141213.36.902
Junior totals10574232

References

  1. "All draft choices". Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey Club. Retrieved April 28, 2010.
  2. 1 2 "Riku Helenius player profile". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved April 28, 2010.
  3. Gorbet, Roger (June 7, 2012). "Lightning Remain Interested In Riku Helenius". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  4. "Lightning Sign Goaltender Riku Helenius". NHL . June 14, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  5. Kramer, Lindsay (February 23, 2014). "Ex-Syracuse Crunch goalie Riku Helenius a free agent after NHL teams take a pass". Syracuse.com . Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  6. "Helenius ja Sallinen sopimuksiin". Jokerit (in Finnish). April 14, 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Tampa Bay Lightning first round draft pick
2006
Succeeded by