Riku Helenius

Riku Helenius
Born	March 1, 1988 Pälkäne, FIN
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	202 lb (92 kg; 14 st 6 lb)
Position	Goaltender
KHL team Former teams	Jokerit Ilves Tampa Bay Lightning Södertälje SK JYP
NHL Draft	15th overall, 2006 Tampa Bay Lightning
Playing career	2008–present

Riku Helenius (born March 1, 1988) is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender. He is currently playing for Jokerit of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

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 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 game 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, as he was still a Lightning prospect. On June 13, 2012, Helenius signed a two-year contract with the Lightning.

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.

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

Career Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season										Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T/OT	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%		GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
2007–08	Seattle Thunderbirds	WHL		41	22	12	6	2358	95	3	2.42	.915		9	4	5	534	24	0	2.70	.911
2008–09	Augusta Lynx	ECHL		8	3	4	1	463	34	0	4.41	.874		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Mississippi Sea Wolves	ECHL		3	1	1	1	184	7	0	2.28	.944		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Norfolk Admirals	AHL		25	9	15	0	1388	63	1	2.72	.918		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL		1	0	0	0	7	0	0	0.00	1.000		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Elmira Jackals	ECHL		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		2	0	1	87	10	0	6.90	.787
2009–10	Norfolk Admirals	AHL		12	5	7	0	719	33	0	2.75	.896		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Sodertalje SK	SEL		9	—	—	—	545	22	0	2.42	.922		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Sodertalje SK	SEL		18	—	—	—	911	46	0	3.03	.884		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	JYP	SM-l		33	17	9	5	1908	52	7	1.64	.936		13	11	2	833	24	0	1.73	—
2012–13	Syracuse Crunch	AHL		32	17	14	0	1772	76	4	2.57	.900		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Syracuse Crunch	AHL		5	2	3	0	297	17	0	3.43	.875		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Florida Everblades	ECHL		4	0	2	0	148	15	0	6.08	.797		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Jokerit	KHL		22	14	5	2	1272	50	2	2.36	.918		1	1	0	60	1	0	1.00	.944
2015–16	Jokerit	KHL		21	7	6	4	1045	42	2	2.41	.891		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				1	0	0	0	7	0	0	0.00	1.000		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
2006	Finland	WJC18			6	4	1	1	360	11	1	1.83	.942
2008	Finland	WJC	6th		4	—	—	—	214	12	1	3.36	.902
Junior totals					10	—	—	—	574	23	2	—	—

References

1. "All draft choices". Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey Club. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
2. "Riku Helenius player profile". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2010-04-28.

External links

• Riku Helenius's career statistics at EliteProspects.com
• Riku Helenius's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database