"Darren is a high-energy, competitive player who brings veteran leadership to our team," said Avalanche Executive Vice President / General Manager Joe Sakic. "He helps our depth up front, is good on faceoffs and is an effective penalty killer. Darren is a Stanley Cup champion who will be a great addition to our dressing room."
Selected by Detroit in the fifth round (132nd overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Helm has scored 13 career short-handed goals, a total that ranks eighth in Red Wings history. He has averaged over two short-handed minutes per game (2:01) and won 51.3% of his faceoffs throughout the course of his career.
A native of St. Andrews, Manitoba, Helm skated in 47 contests for Detroit during the 2020-21 season, tallying eight points (3g/5a). He played in his 700th NHL game on Jan. 30 vs. Florida.
Helm appeared in 18 of Detroit's 22 playoff contests during the 2008 Stanley Cup run, recording four points (2g/2a). A year later, he dressed in all 23 playoff games (4g/1a) and led the NHL with 118 hits as the Red Wings lost to Pittsburgh in seven games during the 2009 Stanley Cup Final. He scored the series-clinching goal in overtime in Game 5 of the 2009 Western Conference Final against Chicago to send Detroit to its second straight Final.
Prior to turning pro, Helm played three seasons with Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League, where he was named to the WHL East First All-Star Team in 2005-06 and WHL East Second All-Star Team in 2006-07. He helped the Tigers reach the Memorial Cup tournament during that 2007 playoff run and was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team. Helm won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2007 IIHF World Junior Championship.
