Scouting the Detroit Red Wings: Darren Helm

Darren Helm

Today's profile: Darren Helm

Height: 5'11"
Weight: 172
Birthdate: January 21, 1987 (22 years old)
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
Uniform #: 43
Contract status: Signed through 2009-10
Salary Cap Figure: $599,444
Salary in 2009-10: $500,000

2008-09

Darren Helm set career highs in games played (16), assists (1), points (1), penalty minutes (4), shots on goal (29), time on ice per game (12:25), and hits (37). In fact his 37 hits ranked him ahead of Jiri Hudler, Brian Rafalski, Brett Lebda, Chris Chelios and Derek Meech. And he was just getting warmed up. For the second consecutive year Helm played more games in the playoffs than in the regular season, and while Kris Draper was injured throughout most of the playoffs he ably filled in for him. In 23 playoff games Helm scored four goals and five points, played 12:05 per game, and led the league with 118 hits (see the slide show below) while taking just four minutes in penalties, and he won 51.7% of his faceoffs. His tenacity, speed, and numerous big hits earned him the nickname "Nightmare on Helm Street."

It's rare that a player has 41 games of NHL playoff experience before cracking an NHL roster on a permanent basis, but Helm is a rare kind of player. The Red Wings depth has allowed him to prepare himself in the minors for two seasons and then shine in Detroit during two trips to the Final. He has not cracked the Red Wings lineup due the depth within the organization and because it is difficult to determine exactly what role he is best suited to fill. His skill set which includes incredible speed (see video) tenacious forechecking and hard hits make him an ideal checking forward, but he is minus-9 in 23 regular season games with Detroit and minus-23 in two seasons with Grand Rapids.

And although he hasn't scored a goal in the regular season with the Red Wings he has netted six in 41 playoff games inluding the series winner against Chicago and the breakaway beauty in the video. While he has shown some scoring touch throughout his career, he has never been a prolific scorer at any level, which makes it difficult to forecast him as a third line player in Detroit capable of scoring 15-20 goals like Jason Williams, Patrick Eaves, Todd Bertuzzi, or Ville Leino. This season he will get the opportunity to sharpen his skills skating on a line with Draper, the player he is most likely going to succeed in the Red Wings roster.

Be sure to check out the slide show below for some action shots of Helm from last season.

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• Dan Cleary  Pavel Datsyuk  Kris Draper  Patrick Eaves  Jonathan Ericsson  Valtteri Filppula  Johan Franzen  Darren Helm  Tomas Holmstrom  Niklas Kronwall   Brett Lebda   Ville Leino  Nicklas Lidstrom  Andreas Lilja  Kirk Maltby  Derek Meech  Chris Osgood  Brian Rafalski  Brad Stuart  Jason Williams  Henrik Zetterberg