Samuel
Helenius
C · LAK · Defensive · Around average
- PAL
- 45
- WAR
- 0.4
- Value
- 65
- PTS
- 9
2025-26№ 250 / 615
Samuel Helenius (Los Angeles Kings) stats and profile: offensive production, ice time, advanced stats, WAR and PAL rating.
Samuel Helenius
#79CPlays: Centre · 88% of faceoffs
Los Angeles Kings
HEIGHT : 198 cm · WEIGHT : 102 kg · SHOOTS : L
Born : November 25, 2002 · Dallas, United States
Drafted : 2021 · LAK · round 2, pick #59
Contract : $875,000 · 2026-27 → 2027-28 · Standard Contract (Extension) · RFA
NHL record
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | Los Angeles Kings | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 20 |
| 2025-26 | Los Angeles Kings | 53 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 50 |
| 2024-25 | Los Angeles Kings | 50 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 25 |
| NHL totals | 114 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 95 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Los Angeles Kings | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| 2024-25 | Los Angeles Kings | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Playoff totals | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 | |
Samuel Helenius: our analysis
2025-26 season: 53 GP, 5 G, 4 A, 9 PTS, -6 +/-, 7:59 TOI. WAR 0.4 (250th of 615) · PAL 45, around average.
In 2025-26, Samuel Helenius, 23, posts a PAL Rating of 45 out of 100 (around average), and his WAR of 0.4 ranks 250th among 615 regulars, in the top half.
His strengths: defense (84, well above average) and discipline (67, above average). On the other hand, offense (22, well below average) and penalty kill (24, well below average) hold him back.
Breaking down his WAR (goals above average), his biggest contribution: finishing (+0.9); his biggest cost: EV offense (-0.7).
A clear step forward: his PAL went from 12 in 2024-25 to 45; his WAR went from 0.2 to 0.4.
Contract-wise, his Value score of 65 (good value) weighs his output against what he costs: 50 is what that salary should buy.
Samuel Helenius's story
Born in Dallas while his father was playing in the NHL, Samuel Helenius moved back to Finland early and came up through Jokerit’s junior system, where his physical style and net-front instincts began to take shape. Those formative years in Finland set the stage for a move to JYP Jyväskylä to begin his professional career.
Helenius made his Liiga debut with JYP in the 2020–21 season. In his first full Liiga campaign he recorded seven goals and 14 points in 54 games, numbers that helped his stock at the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The Los Angeles Kings selected him in the second round, 59th overall, having traded third- and fourth-round picks to the Carolina Hurricanes to move back into the second round and take him.
On 13 August 2021 Helenius signed a three-year, entry-level contract with Los Angeles. He returned to JYP for 2021–22, serving as an alternate captain and posting three goals and nine points in 48 games. On 28 March 2022 the Kings assigned him to their primary AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, sending him to North America to finish the season and continue his adjustment to the pro game there.
Los Angeles later extended his deal on 2 December 2025 with a two-year, $1.75 million contract through the 2027–28 season. The son of former NHL defenceman Sami Helenius, Samuel holds both Finnish and U.S. citizenship. On ice he is defined by his size and willingness to play in front of the net, a straightforward, physical approach that he has used in Liiga and at the AHL level as he works toward a regular role with the Kings.
Facts drawn from Wikipédia, told in our own words.
Advanced stats
- TOI/GP
- 8:17
- PP TOI/GP
- 0:00
- SH TOI/GP
- 0:00
- Pts/GP
- 0.09
- EV points
- 1
- Hits
- 30
- Blocks
- 4
- Takeaways
- 0
- Corsi % (SAT)
- 44.5 %
- Off. zone starts
- 39.0 %
- Faceoffs
- 45.8 %
Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)
2026-27 projection
Projected points
8between 1 and 17 (80% range)
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 4
- Games
- 57
So far: 1 pts in 11 games. The team has played 15 of 84 games. Projected pace: 0.15 pts per game (last season: 0.17).
The projection follows last season's pace. Tested on 2,265 player seasons (2022-23 to 2025-26): average miss of 9 points over 82 games; for players at 0.9 points per game and up, it ran 5 points high on average.
Trend
Slightly up
- Points per game: 0.14 in 24-25, 0.17 in 25-26
- PAL Rating: 12 → 45
Outlook, age included
↑ Trending upAge 23: usually still improving
This is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, trades or role changes; one player in five finishes outside the range.
Player ratings, 2025-26
All ratings →Fourteen ratings from 0 to 100 drawn from data, never by hand: 75 = established NHL player, 95+ = elite.
OV · OverallConfidence 45 %
64
Depth
- SK
- Skating
- 61
- Confidence 57 %
- ST
- Strength
- 90
- Confidence 51 %
- EN
- Endurance
- 42
- Confidence 67 %
- DU
- Durability
- 65
- Confidence 57 %
- CK
- Checking
- 94
- Confidence 51 %
- FG
- Fighting
- 90
- Confidence 38 %
- DI
- Discipline
- 71
- Confidence 51 %
- FO
- Faceoffs
- 71
- Confidence 56 %
- PA
- Passing
- 63
- Confidence 45 %
- SC
- Scoring
- 72
- Confidence 45 %
- DF
- Defense
- 82
- Confidence 41 %
- PS
- Penalty shot
- 76
- Confidence 0 %
- EX
- Experience
- 58
- Confidence 100 %
Why these ratings?Hide details
SK — Skating61
- Top speed (35 %)35 · 58
- Bursts > 20 mph /60 (30 %)5.269 · 72
- Distance /60 (20 %)16.2 · 70
- Speed consistency (15 %)34.6 · 62
ST — Strength90
- Contact absorbed /60 (50 %)4.609 · 79
- Body mass (50 %)1.625 · 94
EN — Endurance42
- Ice time per game (45 %)10.6 · 42
- Total ice time (20 %)419 · 47
- Shift length (15 %)43.9 · 70
- Lowest recent ice time per game (15 %)9.899 · 47
- Special-teams time per game (5 %)0.912 · 45
DU — Durability65
- Share of games played (100 %)0.734 · 65
CK — Checking94
- Hits /60 (70 %)12.7 · 93
- Lowest seasonal rate (20 %)15.1 · 97
- Season volume (10 %)4.977 · 86
FG — Fighting90
- Fights per 82 games (100 %)2.091 · 90
DI — Discipline71
- Net penalty value /60 (50 %)0.009 · 71
- Penalties taken /60 (30 %)0.682 · 72
- Penalties drawn /60 (20 %)0.74 · 74
FO — Faceoffs71
- Faceoff % (85 %)48.1 · 70
- Faceoffs /60 (15 %)37.1 · 74
PA — Passing63
- Primary assists /60 (40 %)0.44 · 56
- Secondary assists /60 (20 %)0.454 · 73
- Offensive creation (RAPM) (20 %)-0.023 · 66
- Power-play points /60 (10 %)4.764 · 80
- Assist consistency (10 %)0.263 · 61
SC — Scoring72
- Goals /60 (25 %)0.776 · 74
- Individual xG /60 (20 %)0.682 · 67
- Finishing (goals − xG per shot) (20 %)0.107 · 80
- High-danger chances /60 (15 %)0.965 · 61
- xG per shot (10 %)0.081 · 67
- Shot attempts /60 (10 %)12 · 74
DF — Defense82
- RAPM defense /60 (35 %)0.045 · 79
- Relative xG against (20 %)-0.203 · 85
- On-ice xG against /60 (15 %)2.337 · 92
- Penalty kill /60 (10 %)-0.026 · 73
- Takeaways − giveaways /60 (10 %)-1.663 · 68
- Shot attempts against /60 (5 %)56.6 · 81
- Blocked shots /60 (5 %)3.003 · 81
PS — Penalty shot76
- Shootouts (60 %)32.7 · 76
- Penalty shots (40 %)26.7 · 76
EX — Experience58
- Career regular-season games (65 %)65
- Career playoff games (25 %)45
- NHL seasons (10 %)37
OV — Overall64
- SC · Scoring (20 %)72
- PA · Passing (20 %)63
- DF · Defense (20 %)82
- SK · Skating (12 %)61
- FO · Faceoffs (10 %)71
- EN · Endurance (8 %)42
- DI · Discipline (5 %)71
- ST · Strength (3 %)90
- CK · Checking (2 %)94
| Season | OV | SK | SC | DF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 64 | 61 | 72 | 82 |
| 2024-25 | 65 | 68 | 71 | 77 |
The bars show confidence (sample size), not player quality. — : not enough data, not a zero. Engine version 1.0.
WAR and PAL ratings, 2025-26
How we rate →PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against players at the same position (50 = average player), starting from the player's strength, offensive or defensive. Value Rating compares that performance with what the player costs: 50 means paid what the play is worth.
WAR
0.4
wins above replacement
250 of 615
PAL Rating
45/ 100
Performance · Around average
246 of 476 at the position
Value Rating
65/ 100
Good value
0.81 M$ · expected PAL 33
ProfileDefensiveValue comes mostly from defense
- Offense
- 26
- Defense
- 72
See full detailsHide details
- Offense
- 22
- Creation
- 29
- Shooting
- 38
- Possession
- 47
- Defense
- 84
- Discipline
- 67
- Power play
- 38
- Penalty kill
- 24
From 0 to 100; 50 is the average player at the same position, adjusted for ice time.
| Season | Team | WAR | PAL | Value | Cap hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | LAK | 0.4 | 45 | 65 | 0.81 M$ |
| 2024-25 | LAK | 0.2 | 12 | 24 | 0.81 M$ |
Hockey IQ, 2025-26
Rankings and method →The quality of the player's decisions with and against the puck at 5-on-5, against regulars at the same position (50 = average). PAL measures output; IQ measures how the player plays.
Overall IQ
34/ 100
Below average
better than 34% of forwards, offense and defense combined
Offensive IQ
20/ 100
Below average
passing, shots, puck
Defensive IQ
54/ 100
Average
takeaways, discipline, own zone
Overall IQ isn't an average of the two scores: it's the player's rank with offense and defense combined, 278 of 424 forwards.
See full detailsHide details
Offense
- Playmaking passes
- 7
- Shot selection
- 14
- Penalties drawn
- 77
- Puck management
- 53
Defense
- Takeaways
- 18
- Discipline
- 33
- Safe zone exits
- 98
Percentiles: 80 means better than 80% of regulars at the same position. Play without the puck (positioning, coverage) isn't measured: the NHL doesn't publish that data.
| Season | Team | IQ | Off. | Def. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | LAK | 34 | 20 | 54 |
| 2024-25 | LAK | 2 | 1 | 16 |
WAR, 2025-26
How it's calculated →Wins added to the team, compared with a replacement-level player called up from the AHL.
0.4
wins above replacement
-0.2 to 0.9 — 90% interval
250 of 615 forwards
+2.3 goals above replacement
Full leaderboard →See full detailsHide details
- EV offense
- -0.7
- EV defense
- +0.7
- Power play
- 0.0
- Penalty kill
- 0.0
- Shooting
- +0.9
- Penalties
- +0.3
- Average → replacement
- +1.1
In goals.
| Season | Team | GP | WAR | 90% interval | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | LAK | 53 | 0.4 | -0.2 to 0.9 | 250/615 |
| 2024-25 | LAK | 47 | 0.2 | -0.4 to 0.7 | 306/596 |
Player tracking (NHL EDGE)
League EDGE leaderboards →Speed, shot power, distance covered, time by zone: measured by chips in the puck and shoulder pads. 90th percentile = better than 90% of players.
- Hardest shot
- 130.1 km/h44th percentileleague avg. 130.1 km/h
- Top skating speed
- 33.9 km/h18th percentileleague avg. 35.2 km/h
- Bursts over 20 mph, season
- 720th percentileleague avg. 21
- Offensive zone time
- 38.8 %16th percentileleague avg. 43.1 %
See full detailsHide details
- Total distance, season
- 23.6 km22nd percentileleague avg. 52.2 km
- Distance, single-game high
- 2.74 km5th percentileleague avg. 4.52 km
- Offensive zone at 5v5
- 38.8 %13th percentileleague avg. 42.4 %
- Neutral zone time
- 18.3 %62nd percentileleague avg. 16.8 %
- Defensive zone time
- 42.9 %17th percentileleague avg. 40.1 %
Shooting
| Shots on goal | Goals | Shooting % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 823rd percentile | 139th percentile | 12.5 %48th percentile |
| High danger | 539th percentile | 157th percentile | 20.0 %56th percentile |
| Mid range | 010th percentile | 054th percentile | 0.0 %0th percentile |
| Long range | 031st percentile | 092nd percentile | 0.0 %0th percentile |
Shots on goal by zone
2026-2027 regular season. Measured by puck and player tracking chips; the percentile ranks the player within the league.
Game log, 2026-27
BUF
OTT
CHI
NYR
NJD
NYI
WSH
BOS
EDM
VGK
COLSamuel Helenius: frequently asked questions
How many goals does Samuel Helenius have in 2026-27?
Samuel Helenius has 1 goal and 1 point (0 assists) in 11 games in 2026-27.
How old is Samuel Helenius?
Samuel Helenius is 23 years old: he was born on November 26, 2002.
How tall is Samuel Helenius, and how much does he weigh?
Samuel Helenius is 6'6" (198 cm) and weighs 225 lb (102 kg).
Where is Samuel Helenius from?
United States: Samuel Helenius was born in Dallas, Texas, United States.
What team does Samuel Helenius play for?
Samuel Helenius plays for the Los Angeles Kings in the NHL, at C, wearing number 79.
Is Samuel Helenius injured?
No: Samuel Helenius is not on the latest NHL injury report. This answer is updated throughout the season.
How good is Samuel Helenius?
Samuel Helenius produced 0.4 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2025-26, 250th of 615 players at his position in the NHL. His PAL rating is 45 out of 100: around average for his position.
How much does Samuel Helenius make?
Samuel Helenius earns $806K for the 2025-26 season. His Value Rating is 65 out of 100 (good value): it measures the on-field return for that salary, compared with players at his position.
When does Samuel Helenius's contract end?
Samuel Helenius's contract runs through the 2027-28 season; he will then be a restricted free agent.
Is Samuel Helenius overpaid?
No, he gives more than he costs. His Value rating is 65 out of 100 (good value), where 50 is the output expected for his salary, compared with players at his position.
Is Samuel Helenius a top-10 player at his position?
No: by WAR, he ranks 250th of 615 players at his position in the NHL in 2025-26. Our comparison tool puts him side by side with any other player.
Is Samuel Helenius getting better?
Yes: his PAL rating went from 12 in 2024-25 to 45 in 2025-26 (out of 100, 50 = average player at his position).
How has Samuel Helenius played lately?
Over his last 10 games, Samuel Helenius has 1 point (1 goal, 0 assists).
What are Samuel Helenius's career stats?
Over his NHL career, Samuel Helenius has 114 games, 10 goals, 7 assists and 17 points. His best season: 2025-26, with 9 points in 53 games.
Where was Samuel Helenius drafted?
Samuel Helenius was drafted 59th overall (round 2) by Los Angeles Kings in 2021.
How does Samuel Helenius perform in the playoffs?
In the playoffs, Samuel Helenius has 10 games and 1 point in his career. His pace (0.10 points per game) is similar to his regular-season pace (0.15).
Which player is most similar to Samuel Helenius?
Jake Evans: he is the player at his position whose PAL profile (the 0-to-100 dimensions) is closest to his in 2025-26.
Jake Evans's page →Is Samuel Helenius a good fantasy pick?
Probably not, except in deep leagues: our projection has him at 8 points in 2026-27, or 0.14 points per game.
Is Samuel Helenius related to anyone famous?
Yes: Sami Helenius (father, former NHL defenceman and enforcer).
What is Samuel Helenius's nationality?
Samuel Helenius is Finnish and American.
Where did Samuel Helenius play before turning pro?
Jokerit junior development system; moved to JYP Jyväskylä and made his professional Liiga debut in 2020–21.
How many points is Samuel Helenius projected to score in 2026-27?
Our projection has him at 8 points in 57 games in 2026-27 (1 to 17 points, 80% interval), based on his recent seasons, age and role.
See also: his Los Angeles Kings teammates
Full roster →
NHL.com ↗ · Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)