Scott MacDonald
Darren Helm was a rookie when the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup in 2008. He’s since spent the last 13 years chasing another one in the Motor City.
But after a long career spent in Detroit, Helm comes to Colorado in hopes of capturing the second Cup of his career, and the first for the Avalanche in 20 years.
“That’s something I’m very excited for,” Helm said of joining a Cup-contending Colorado team. “I’m really looking forward to it and be a part of this team and see what happens.”
Helm met with the Denver media Wednesday morning for the first time since he signed with the Avs on July 29. He reminisced about his long 14-year career with the Red Wings, while also imparting his excitement about coming to Colorado.
“It’s a little bit of mixed emotions. I’ve been (in Detroit) for a long time, I raised a family here,” Helm said. “When I heard the news, I was extremely excited. Really looking forward to playing with the Avs and being on a contending team.”
“The team that they’ve been building for the last couple of years, I think they’ve got a great squad. I just wanted to be part of it,” he added about why he wanted to join the Avalanche.
Helm could be one of those sneaky-good pick-ups this offseason. One that may not seem overly exciting at surface level, but is a more-than-serviceable depth signing. He’s a solid replacement on the fourth line for Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and serves a similar purpose, including picking up penalty kill duties—one of his specialities over his 14-year NHL career.
Helm ranked third on the Red Wings in PK time on ice per game, while also ranking third on the team in takeaways.
“I can use my speed to my advantage and get pressure up ice. I’m willing to block some shots. Those things help out a lot,” he said of his PK abilities.
At 34 years old, Darren Helm is now the oldest player in the Avs locker room. He has post-season experience; he’s won a Stanley Cup. It cannot be understated how important that sort of veteran leadership and experience is to such a young team like the Avalanche. Though it’s expected he will play fourth-line minutes, Helm’s presence on and off the ice should be invaluable.
“I’m just going to continue to do what I do. This is a great team. I just want to be a piece of the puzzle and continue to keep doing what I’ve been doing,” he said. “I don’t think I have a great amount of wisdom to pass on, but just to be here and show the guys what I’ve done to stay in the league a long time. These guys are great, they’re professionals and I’m just excited to be a part of it.
“My main focus is getting down there, getting settled in and meeting the guys and getting camp started. There’s a long road ahead, but I just want to get my foot in the door and get to meet everyone and play with everyone and just bond.”