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With the month of August having come to a close and the official start of training camp just a little over 2 weeks away, the focus begins to return to the main club and some of the questions surrounding some of the veterans wearing the Winged Wheel.
One of the seemingly forgotten guys who should still be expected to play a crucial role this season is
Darren Helm. Helm, who turns twenty-eight this upcoming January, was given a four-year, $8.5 million back in the summer of 2012, which carries him through the 2015-2016 season. The first two years of the deal have been nothing short of a nightmare for him as he has only played 43 regular season games (out of 164), in large part due to a severe wrist injury he incurred during the 2011 playoff series loss to the Nashville Predators.
What will be interesting to see this season is where exactly in the pecking order Helm lines up if the Red Wing lineup is at full health. With the emergence of both
Riley Sheahan and
Luke Glendening down the middle, along with the expected return to health for last season’s free agent acquisition
Stephen Weiss, there appears to be quite the battle for playing time behind #1 center
Pavel Datsyuk.
Despite only playing in 42 games last season, Helm did produce respectable offensive numbers last season (12 G/8A) and tied his career-high in goals in a season except he managed the feat in 40 fewer games than the 82 games he played during the 2010-11 season.
Nevertheless, Helm’s offensive output is not the main item desired by Coach
Mike Babcock. Helm’s ability to kill penalties, create chances on the forecheck and provide the Red Wings with world class speed are the traits Helm brings to the table that Babcock has missed substantially over the past two seasons.
Despite last year's brief foray as the team’s 2nd line center in place of Weiss, I think the organization still envisions Helm as the ideal 3rd or 4th line center. His eventual place in the lineup might revolve around the health of Weiss. Furthermore, given the success
Riley Sheahan had as the team’s 3rd line center last season, it would not surprise me to see Helm as the team’s 4th line center
IF Weiss is fully healthy and able to slot into the 2 hole down the middle for the Wings.
Perhaps Helm’s offensive numbers take a hit this upcoming season if he is playing with less talented offensive players, yet his effectiveness as a bottom-six forward might be more significant providing the other intangibles he can astutely provide playing alongside the likes of
Drew Miller,
Justin Abdelkader,
Luke Glendening or a healthy
Daniel Cleary. Regardless of where Helm lines up this season, the biggest need for him is to play north of 70 regular season games and regain his pre-wrist injury form.
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