Detroit Red Wings forward Darren Helm has seen the evolution of the NHL come around to his strength, which has always been his speed.
Although Helm is now 32, he still possesses the speed to keep up with the quick, young forwards who are now all over the league.
When healthy, as he mostly was during the 2017-18 season when he had 39 points in 75 games, Helm can be an effective third or fourth-line forward and penalty killer, occasionally ascending to a top-six role if other injuries occur.
But this past season, Helm was like the majority of the rest of the Wings; limited by injuries.
He still managed to hit a major career milestone, no small achievement for a fifth-round pick, 132nd overall, in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
Helm has two years left on his five-year, $19.25 million deal with an average annual cap hit of $3.85 million.
600 -- On Feb. 2 at Ottawa, Helm played his 600th career game, a 2-0 victory over the Senators. Not only did Helm score a goal, assisted by Martin Frk and Luke Glendening, he also had two penalties. He had three shots and was plus-1 in 15 minutes of ice time.
100 -- On March 14 at home against Tampa Bay, Helm scored his 100th career goal, an unassisted, shorthanded goal that gave the Wings a 2-0 lead.
61 -- Helm played 61 games this past season.
21 -- Helm has rarely skated through an entire season without suffering an injury, and this past season was no exception. He missed 21 games from Nov. 21-Dec. 31 with a shoulder injury. During the Nov. 17 game in New Jersey, Helm was hit hard by the Devils' Travis Zajac early in the first period. Helm played just 2:03 in that game. Helm was only fifth on the team in man-games lost. Mike Green led with 39, Trevor Daley was second with 38, Danny DeKeyser was third with 30 and Jonathan Ericsson was fourth with 26.
7 -- Helm scored seven goals in 61 games, six fewer than the 13 he had in 75 games the previous season. He was tied with Dennis Cholowski for 10th on the team.
10 -- In his 61 games, Helm also had 10 assists, eight fewer than the 18 he recorded in 2017-18.
4 -- Helm led the Wings with four shorthanded points (one goal and three assists). Glendening and Dylan Larkin were tied for second with three shorthanded points apiece.
