The LA Kings signed forward Samuel Helenius to a two-year contract worth an average annual value (AAV) of $875,000 through the 2027-28 season.
Helenius, 23, has skated in 53 career games with the Kings, including a 50-game rookie season in 2024-25 where he recorded four goals and seven points (4-3=7). Helenius scored his first career goal on Jan. 22 against Florida and recorded his first career multi-point game (2-0=2) on April 15 in Seattle. The 6-6, 200-pound forward made his Stanley Cup Playoff debut with the Kings this past spring, posting one assist in six postseason contests. He also collected six points (2-4=6) in 20 games for the Ontario Reign, the Kings’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate.
Selected in the second round (59th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft, Helenius has played in 162 career AHL games over parts of four seasons (2021-25) with Ontario, accumulating 13 goals and 40 points (13-27=40) with one game-winning goal and 156 PIM. He has added one helper in eight career Calder Cup Playoff contests. Prior to his North American debut, Helenius appeared in 102 games (2020-22) with JYP Jyväskylä of Liiga, Finland’s top professional hockey league, where he registered 10 goals and 23 points (10-13=23). Helenius also played one season in the Finnish junior ranks, scoring 24 points (13-11=24) in 51 games with Jokerit U20 (U20 SM-Liiga).
Internationally, the Järvenpää, Finland native has represented his home country at the 2021 and 2022 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Championships. In 2021, Helenius posted four points (2-2=4) in seven tournament games to help guide Finland to a silver medal while notching one goal in six tournament games the following year to earn a bronze medal.
