Lightning's No. 1 in '06 draft selected in Canadian draft

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published June 29, 2007

---

Goaltender Riku Helenius, the Lightning's first-round pick in the 2006 draft, was selected by Seattle of the Western Hockey League in the Canadian junior import draft and is expected to make his North American debut next season.

Helenius, 19, was selected in the first round, 46th overall, by the Thunderbirds.

The 6-foot-3, 202-pound native of Palkane, Finland, taken 15th overall by Tampa Bay, missed most of last season because of a shoulder injury. He had 2.68 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage in 2005-06 and was named by Hockey News as the top European goalie in the NHL draft.