Sami Helenius facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sami Helenius |
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| Born | January 22, 1974 Helsinki, Finland |
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| Height | 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) | ||
| Weight | 230 lb (104 kg; 16 st 6 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Jokerit Pelicans Calgary Flames Tampa Bay Lightning Colorado Avalanche Dallas Stars Chicago Blackhawks Ilves |
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| National team |  Finland |
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| NHL Draft | 102nd overall, 1992 Calgary Flames |
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| Playing career | 1992–2010 | ||
Sami "Helge" Helenius, born on January 22, 1974, is a former Finnish ice hockey player. He was a strong defenceman, a player who helps protect his team's goal. Sami played in top leagues like the Finnish SM-liiga and the NHL in North America. After his playing days, he became a coach.
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Sami's Hockey Journey
Sami Helenius began his professional hockey career in 1992 with a team called Jokerit in Finland. He was chosen by the Calgary Flames in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. This meant the Flames had the rights to sign him if he came to play in North America.
Playing in North America
Sami moved to North America for the 1994–95 season. For about five years, he mostly played in minor leagues. These leagues help players get ready for the NHL. Eventually, Sami earned his spot as an NHL defenceman.
He played for several NHL teams, including the Calgary Flames, Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and Chicago Blackhawks. Sami became known as "the Fighting Finn" because he was one of the few European players who played a very physical style. He was known for protecting his teammates and being tough on the ice.
Return to Finland
In 2003, Sami returned to Finland to play in the SM-liiga again. He played for Jokerit once more and even served as the team captain for a year. After that, he played for Ilves and then Pelicans.
He rejoined Jokerit after the 2006–07 season. In 2009, during the 2009–10 season, he moved back to the Pelicans team. After finishing that season, Sami decided to join HC Keski-Uusimaa in the Suomi-sarja league. He planned to be a player-coach, but he ended up focusing only on coaching.
Coaching Career
After his long playing career, Sami Helenius moved into coaching. In the summer of 2022, he signed a contract with Kouvola KooKoo, another Finnish ice hockey club.
Sami shared his excitement about this new role. He said he was looking forward to new challenges at KooKoo. He had been watching the Liiga (the top Finnish league) closely. He understood the demands of modern hockey but also wanted to bring some good "old school" elements to the game.
Sami's Career Highlights
Sami Helenius had a long and successful career in ice hockey. He played many games in both the SM-liiga in Finland and the NHL in North America. He was known for his strong defensive play and his physical presence on the ice.
He also represented Finland in international tournaments. He played for the Finnish national junior teams in the IIHF European Junior Championships and the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Later, he played for the senior Finnish national team in the World Ice Hockey Championships.
