The Kings have made a pair of roster moves leading up to their game tonight against Columbus. The team announced that they’ve recalled forward Samuel Helenius from AHL Ontario on an emergency basis; to make room on the roster, forward Alex Turcotte was placed on injured reserve.
This is the first recall for Helenius in his young career. The 21-year-old was a second-round pick by Los Angeles back in 2021, going 59th overall. Standing 6’6, the hope was that Helenius could become a solid checking piece and now in his third professional season, things appear to be on track.
This season, Helenius has three points in eight games along with 22 penalty minutes for the Reign. That’s a small improvement in offensive pace for him after he put up 19 points in 69 contests last season. Helenius should take Tanner Jeannot’s place in the lineup as he begins a three-game suspension tonight.
As for Turcotte, he was injured back on Monday against Nashville, suffering an upper-body injury. However, it’s not supposed to be a long-term issue as he has already resumed skating, albeit in a non-contact jersey. The 23-year-old has done relatively well in his first full NHL campaign, notching five points in 13 games while logging a little under 12 minutes a night.