Raimo Helminen
| Raimo Helminen | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
11 March 1964 Tampere, FIN | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for |
Ilves New York Rangers Minnesota North Stars New York Islanders Malmö IF Redhawks | ||
| National team | Finland | ||
| NHL draft |
35th overall, 1984 New York Rangers | ||
| Playing career | 1982–2008 | ||
| Website | http://www.raipe.fi | ||
Raimo Ilmari Helminen (born 11 March 1964 in Tampere, Finland) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player. He is often called "Raipe" or "Maestro" by his fans. He is the world record holder for most international games played by a hockey player, as well as for tied for being the hockey player in the most Olympic Games, and his 26 seasons as a professional is one of the longest careers in professional hockey history. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2012.
In the 2022-23 season he is serving as the assistant coach of Ilves. Helminen is credited with invention of the saucer pass.