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Darren Helm

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Darren Helm
Helm with the Detroit Red Wings in January 2012
Born (1987-01-21) January 21, 1987 (age 37)
St. Andrews, Manitoba, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 192 lb (87 kg; 13 st 10 lb)
Position Centre / Left wing
Shot Left
Played for Detroit Red Wings
Colorado Avalanche
NHL draft 132nd overall, 2005
Detroit Red Wings
Playing career 2007–2023

Darren Helm (born January 21, 1987) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played for the Detroit Red Wings and the Colorado Avalanche, winning the Stanley Cup in 2008 and again in 2022.

Playing career

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Junior

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Helm started his junior playing career with the Selkirk Fishermen of the Keystone Junior Hockey League (KJHL). He led the league in scoring for the 2003–04 season with 73 points in 34 games,[1] en route to helping the Fishermen to a league championship. He also appeared in six games for the Selkirk Steelers of the Junior A Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) that season.

The following season, in 2004–05, Helm went on to play for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League, beginning a three-year major junior career. Following a 24-point WHL rookie season, which was complemented by two goals and six assists in thirteen playoff games, Helm was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the fifth round, 132nd overall, of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. His second season in the WHL was much more productive as he led his team in scoring with 79 points in 70 games.[1] He also helped the Tigers win the regular season title with a 47-16-9 record for 103 points. While the Tigers swept the first two rounds of the playoffs that season, they lost the semifinals to the Moose Jaw Warriors.[1] On September 27, 2006, Helm signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Red Wings. Nevertheless, he returned to the Tigers for a third and final WHL season in 2006–07 to help lead the team to an Ed Chynoweth Cup as league champions, defeating the Vancouver Giants in a seven-game final round. Earning a berth in the 2007 Memorial Cup, Helm and the Tigers then finished as runner-up to the Giants, who hosted the tournament.

Detroit Red Wings

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In 2007–08, Helm started his professional playing career and was assigned by the Red Wings to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. Near the end of the season, he was called up to Detroit and played his first NHL game on March 13, 2008.[2] Helm remained with the Red Wings for their 2008 playoff run, centering the fourth line, and scored his first NHL goal on May 10, 2008, during game two of the Western Conference finals against the Dallas Stars. He contributed 2 goals and 2 assists in 18 playoff games, helping the Red Wings to the franchise's 11th Stanley Cup.

Despite being able to stick with the NHL club for the last part of his professional rookie season, Helm returned to the AHL in 2008–09. After appearing in 16 regular season games for the Red Wings, however, he was called up once again for the first game of the 2009 playoffs. During game seven of the Western Conference semifinal series against the Anaheim Ducks, Helm scored a crucial goal on a breakaway to give the Wings a 2-0 lead. The Wings won the game and advanced to the Western Conference Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks, where he scored the series-winning goal in overtime of game five. With the goal, Helm became the first player in NHL history to score five playoff goals before scoring a regular season goal.[3] He increased his total to six playoff goals before scoring a regular season goal, extending his record.

For the 2009–10 NHL season, Helm was placed as the regular fourth line centre. His speed and determination led Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock to name Helm as "probably our best player from start to finish."[4] He had a notable game on New Year's Eve of 2009, when he scored two short-handed goals in a single outing against the Colorado Avalanche.[5] Following the season, the Red Wings signed Helm to a two-year contract extension worth $1.825 million. The contract has an annual cap hit of $912,500.[6]

Helm has developed a reputation of being one of the league's top defensive players, as well as one of the fastest. During the 2010–11 NHL season Helm stepped into a more consistent scoring role, setting career highs in all statistics. During the 2011 playoffs coach Mike Babcock named Helm "an elite player, probably not a fourth-line player"[7]

On June 19, 2012, Helm signed a four-year, $8.5 million contract extension with the Detroit Red Wings.[8]

During the Red Wings 2012-13 training camp, Helm was diagnosed with a chronic back condition that forced him to miss all but one game in the 2012-13 season and much of the first half of the 2013-14 season.[9]

On March 29, 2014, Helm recorded his first career hat-trick in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.[10]

On July 1, 2016, Helm signed a five-year, $19.25 million contract extension with the Red Wings.[11] Helm spent 14 years with the Red Wings, appearing in 744 regular-season games and recording 112 goals and 139 assists. His 744 regular season games with Detroit ranks 17th overall in the history of the franchise. He said he had "mixed emotions" about leaving Detroit, as he had "been here for a long time. I've raised a family here."[12] Helm was also the last remaining member of Detroit's 2008 Stanley Cup Championship team.

Colorado Avalanche

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On July 29, 2021, the Colorado Avalanche signed Helm to a one-year, $1 million contract for the 2021–22 season.[13] After recording 7 goals and 8 assists through 68 regular season games in a fourth-line role with the Avalanche, the team entered the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs with the second-best record in the league, but also a recent history of faltering in the second round of the playoffs. After sweeping the Nashville Predators, the Avalanche faced the St. Louis Blues in the second round. In Game 6 of the second round, with the game tied and seemingly heading to overtime, Helm scored a goal with 5.6 seconds left in regulation to send the Avalanche to the Western Conference Final for the first time since 2002.[14] The Avalanche defeated the Edmonton Oilers in the conference finals to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals, the third Finals appearance of Helm's career.[15] The Avalanche went on to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games, Helm's second Cup win.[16]

On July 13, 2022, Helm was re-signed by the Avalanche to a one-year, $1.25 million contract extension for the 2022–23 season.[17]

On July 5, 2023, Helm retired from playing professional hockey after missing most of the season due to injury.[18]

International play

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Medal record
Representing  Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2007 Canada

Helm participated in the 2007 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships for Team Canada; playing on the second and third lines, he won a gold medal.[1]

Helm celebrates with the Stanley Cup in June 2008.

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2003–04 Selkirk Fishermen MJBHL 34 39 32 71 34 — — — — —
2003–04 Selkirk Steelers MJHL 6 0 3 3 0 — — — — —
2004–05 Medicine Hat Tigers WHL 72 10 14 24 27 13 2 6 8 10
2005–06 Medicine Hat Tigers WHL 70 41 38 79 37 13 5 4 9 2
2006–07 Medicine Hat Tigers WHL 59 25 39 64 53 23 10 12 22 14
2007–08 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 67 16 15 31 30 — — — — —
2007–08 Detroit Red Wings NHL 7 0 0 0 2 18 2 2 4 2
2008–09 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 55 13 24 37 24 — — — — —
2008–09 Detroit Red Wings NHL 16 0 1 1 4 23 4 1 5 4
2009–10 Detroit Red Wings NHL 75 11 13 24 18 12 1 0 1 4
2010–11 Detroit Red Wings NHL 82 12 20 32 16 11 3 3 6 8
2011–12 Detroit Red Wings NHL 68 9 17 26 12 1 0 0 0 0
2012–13 Detroit Red Wings NHL 1 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
2013–14 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2013–14 Detroit Red Wings NHL 42 12 8 20 14 5 0 1 1 0
2014–15 Detroit Red Wings NHL 75 15 18 33 12 7 0 3 3 4
2015–16 Detroit Red Wings NHL 77 13 13 26 32 5 1 0 1 6
2016–17 Detroit Red Wings NHL 50 8 9 17 20 — — — — —
2017–18 Detroit Red Wings NHL 75 13 18 31 39 — — — — —
2018–19 Detroit Red Wings NHL 61 7 10 17 20 — — — — —
2019–20 Detroit Red Wings NHL 68 9 7 16 37 — — — — —
2020–21 Detroit Red Wings NHL 47 3 5 8 10 — — — — —
2021–22 Colorado Avalanche NHL 68 7 8 15 14 20 2 3 5 12
2022–23 Colorado Avalanche NHL 11 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 0 0
NHL totals 823 119 147 266 256 103 13 13 26 40

International

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Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2007 Canada WJC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 6 2 0 2 10
Junior totals 6 2 0 2 10

Awards and honours

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Award Year
WHL
East First All-Star Team 2006
East Second All-Star Team 2007
CHL Memorial Cup All-Star Team 2007
NHL
Stanley Cup champion 2008, 2022 [19]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Darren Helm". redwingscentral.com. Archived from the original on 2009-04-14. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
  2. ^ "Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos".
  3. ^ "Helm Wins Game, Breaks Record With Assist From GHL". greatesthockeylegends.com. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  4. ^ "Helm does job offensively".
  5. ^ "Helm scores twice shorthanded as Wings down Avalanche". tsn.ca. Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  6. ^ "Darren Helm". www.capgeek.com. Archived from the original on 2011-10-04. Retrieved 2011-07-26.
  7. ^ "Red Wings' Darren Helm has made life miserable for the Coyotes' defense". 20 April 2011.
  8. ^ "Darren Helm, Wings agree on 4-year $8.5M deal".[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ Brigidi, Matt. “Darren Helm INJURY: Red Wings Forward to Miss Remainder of 2013.” SBNation.com, SBNation.com, 9 Apr. 2013, www.sbnation.com/nhl/2013/4/9/4205154/darren-helm-injury-update-detroit-red-wings.
  10. ^ Darren Helm records first career hat trick Archived 2014-03-30 at the Wayback Machine NHL.com, March 29, 2014
  11. ^ Kujawa, Kyle (July 1, 2016). "Helm, Marchenko agree to terms". Detroit Red Wings. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  12. ^ Chambers, Mike (August 4, 2021). "Darren Helm has "mixed emotions" about joining Avalanche after 14 years with Red Wings". The Denver Post. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
  13. ^ "Avalanche Signs Darren Helm". NHL.com. July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  14. ^ Gentille, Sean (May 28, 2022). "NHL playoffs results daily: Darren Helm calls game over, Avs solve second round". The Athletic. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
  15. ^ "Avalanche sweep Oilers, advance to Stanley Cup Final". Washington Post. June 6, 2022. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  16. ^ Kotila, Tyler (June 28, 2022). "Former Detroit Red Wings Forward Darren Helm Wins Stanley Cup". Detroit Sports Nation. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  17. ^ "Avalanche re-signs Darren Helm". Colorado Avalanche. July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  18. ^ "Darren Helm: Hangs up skates". cbssports.com. July 5, 2023.
  19. ^ "Colorado Avalanche win first Stanley Cup since 2001 with Game 6 comeback". ESPN. 26 June 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
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