Dwight Helminen

Dwight Edward Helminen (born June 22, 1983) is an American professional ice hockey center who most recently played with the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL. His brother Lars plays with Linz EHC of the EBEL.

Dwight Helminen
Born	(1983-06-22) June 22, 1983 Hancock, Michigan, U.S.
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	191 lb (87 kg; 13 st 9 lb)
Position	Center
Shoots	Left
ECHL team Former teams	Kalamazoo Wings JYP Carolina Hurricanes San Jose Sharks Pelicans
NHL Draft	244th overall, 2002 Edmonton Oilers
Playing career	2004–present

Playing career

Helminen was born in Hancock, Michigan, and raised in Brighton, Michigan. As a youth, he played in the 1997 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Detroit Compuware minor ice hockey team.[1]

He was drafted 244th overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers. Dwight played junior hockey for the U.S. Junior National Team in the United States Hockey League (USHL) and college hockey at the University of Michigan for the Wolverines. On March 3, 2004, the New York Rangers acquired his rights from the Oilers along with a 2004 second round draft pick and Steve Valiquette in exchange for Petr Nedvěd and Jussi Markkanen.

Since turning professional, Helminen has played for the Charlotte Checkers in the ECHL and the Hartford Wolf Pack in the American Hockey League (AHL), before signing with JYP Jyväskylä in the Finnish SM-liiga in 2007.

Helminen signed a one-year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 3, 2008. He was then assigned to the Hurricanes' affiliate, the Albany River Rats of the AHL. Helminen made his NHL debut in the 2008–09 season after an injury to Brandon Sutter. He played in 23 regular season games by season's end with the Hurricanes, as well as one playoff game.

On July 16, 2009, Helminen signed a one-year contract with the San Jose Sharks.[2] In the 2009–10 season, on February 11, 2010, Helminen scored his first goal with the Sharks, against the Detroit Red Wings. On April 22, 2010, he scored a goal against the Colorado Avalanche in the Sharks' first-round playoff series.

Midway through the 2011–12 season, Helminen left KLH Chomutov of the Czech first division league to return to North America, signing with the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL on February 6, 2012.[3]

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2001–02	University of Michigan	CCHA		39	10	8	18	10		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	University of Michigan	CCHA		39	17	16	33	34		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	University of Michigan	CCHA		41	17	12	29	4		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Hartford Wolf Pack	AHL		41	2	7	9	10		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Charlotte Checkers	ECHL		28	5	16	21	10		15	7	3	10	2
2005–06	Hartford Wolf Pack	AHL		77	32	23	55	40		13	3	5	8	10
2006–07	Hartford Wolf Pack	AHL		80	15	24	39	32		7	1	1	2	2
2007–08	JYP	SM-l		52	20	25	45	10		6	3	3	6	0
2008–09	Albany River Rats	AHL		54	15	15	30	26		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		23	1	1	2	0		1	0	0	0	0
2009–10	Worcester Sharks	AHL		74	12	10	22	16		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	San Jose Sharks	NHL		4	1	0	1	0		7	1	0	1	4
2010–11	Pelicans	SM-l		60	12	16	28	40		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Piráti Chomutov	CZE.1		24	4	14	18	6		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Kalamazoo Wings	ECHL		20	7	11	18	6		14	5	7	12	2
NHL totals				27	2	1	3	0		8	1	0	1	4

Awards and honors

Award	Year
CCHA All-Tournament Team	2003	[4]

References

1. "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Retrieved 2019-02-11.
2. "Sharks sign four players, re-sign Vesce". San Jose Sharks. 2009-07-16. Archived from the original on 2009-07-18. Retrieved 2009-07-16.
3. "Wings add NHL experience". Kalamazoo Wings. 2012-02-06. Archived from the original on 2012-02-08. Retrieved 2012-02-06.
4. "2012-13 CCHA Media Guide". ISSUU.com. Retrieved 2014-04-23.

External links

• Dwight Helminen career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Jed Ortmeyer	CCHA Best Defensive Forward 2003-04	Succeeded by Eric Nystrom