Confirmed with Link: Darren Helm re-signed 5 years 3.85m/year

[Filppula]

http://www.foxsports.com/nhl/story/red-wings-sign-nielsen-re-sign-helm-and-marchenko-070116

Hahaha!! Holland is actually not all there I swear. We're going nowhere.

 

[Tatar Shots]

I bet you Ken Holland has a separate house in which he keeps all his childhood toys in. Just imagine all the great stuff he picked up at garage sales over the years.

 

[Roomba With a Bauer]

The best thing for you guys is contracts like this. Lock up your money in players like Helm and you can miss the playoffs that much faster and start the tank process. It will be painful but that is how you have to build a team now.

 

[InjuredChoker]

well one good thing is that one other team paid a 30+ yr old center +30M over 6 years and that player produced no better (slightly worse rate as that player had more ice time) 5on5 as helm did last season.


the bad news is that that team is detroit red wings and the player is frans nielsen.

 

[Retire91]

He played over both Tatar and Nyqvist in the top 6 for most of last season. No reason it can't happen again.

This 100%, Detroit views Helm as a top 6 player.

 

[Jkalapeno]

I guess we can hope that he gets exposed in the expansion draft???

 

[Henkka]

I guess we can hope that he gets exposed in the expansion draft???

That's a minor possibility. Let's look with 7+3+1 tactic...

1. Zetterberg
2. Nielsen
3. Nyquist
4. Abdelkader
5. Helm
(Tatar, traded for a D)
6. Sheahan
(Larkin, exempt)
(Mantha, exempt)
7. Athanasiou
-------------
Glendening, free to be picked
Jurco, free to be picked
Pulkkinen, free to be picked
Vanek, UFA free...
Miller, UFA free...
Ott, UFA free...

Don't see Helm left unprotected, if Holland doesn't change his protection tactic for 4+4+1 (4 defencemen) after he has acquired one quality 1D.

Then it could be:

1. Zeta
2. Nielsen
3. Nyquist
4. Athanasiou
(Tatar&Sheahan traded for a 1D)
---------------
unprotected:
Abdelkader
Helm
Glendening
Jurco
Pulu
Vanek UFA
Miller UFA
Ott UFA

It almost looks like a better tactic, when you protect more from defence (1D, DeKeyser, Green, Marchenko). Losing 1 forward is a minor loss.

 

[Bonin21]

This contract still blows my mind more than two days later.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

That's a minor possibility. Let's look with 7+3+1 tactic...

1. Zetterberg
2. Nielsen
3. Nyquist
4. Abdelkader
5. Helm
(Tatar, traded for a D)
6. Sheahan
(Larkin, exempt)
(Mantha, exempt)
7. Athanasiou
-------------
Glendening, free to be picked
Jurco, free to be picked
Pulkkinen, free to be picked
Vanek, UFA free...
Miller, UFA free...
Ott, UFA free...

Don't see Helm left unprotected, if Holland doesn't change his protection tactic for 4+4+1 (4 defencemen) after he has acquired one quality 1D.

Then it could be:

1. Zeta
2. Nielsen
3. Nyquist
4. Athanasiou
(Tatar&Sheahan traded for a 1D)
---------------
unprotected:
Abdelkader
Helm
Glendening
Jurco
Pulu
Vanek UFA
Miller UFA
Ott UFA

It almost looks like a better tactic, when you protect more from defence (1D, DeKeyser, Green, Marchenko). Losing 1 forward is a minor loss.

And I'd rather lose abdelkader or helm over glendenning.

 

[Henkka]

Helm is the new Cleary which everybody hates. 7th magical forward, which will fit both to Bottom6 and TOP6. That intangibles guy, true leader, our last Stanley Cup winner left we will have after Z retires.

 

[Heaton]

Helm is the new Cleary which everybody hates. 7th magical forward, which will fit both to Bottom6 and TOP6. That intangibles guy, true leader, our last Stanley Cup winner left we will have after Z retires.

It's pretty unfortunate that it happens like that, but in a capped NHL that's the reality. Players go from liked to disliked all based on the contracts given to them.

If Helm was unlikely to play in the top 6 and on the PP, I wouldn't dislike the contract so much, but he has no place in either of those areas and most likely he'll play there quite frequently.

His speed is a good asset, but speed is the first thing to go and an injury prone guy like Helm signing a 5 year deal isn't ideal.

 

[jaster]

Ok, to be clear, I am good with extending Glendening, and both the term and caphit given.

That comment was made in regards to the Holland comment that he can play 16-18 minutes a game against top lines.

You think he should be utilized like that? I'd like to know what advanced stats or context supports that. I like Glendening when Glendening is used how he should be.

I think people here are putting way too much stock in an off-the-cuff Holland comment that contained a specific number of minutes. I think it's extremely doubtful he actually averages 16-18 minutes a game. If he does, I'm willing to discuss/criticize that decision after it actually happens.

More likely, I think Holland meant he's capable of handling that number of minutes and shutting down an opposition's top line in a particular game, should circumstances dictate it. It's something he's done in the past, and successfully, so I have no problem with it happening again.

 

[jaster]

Helm is the new Cleary which everybody hates.

It's funny how much people gravitate toward the "shiny new toys." I remember after Helm's first year or two, this board was gaga over him. He was the next Kris Draper, was going to wear a letter in short order, maybe the C eventually. Kid was lightning in a bottle.

Now he's just a pain in the arse and, like you said, falling in the Cleary bucket. And Athanasiou is Darren Helm circa 2010. The shiny new toy!

 

[jkutswings]

Helm is the new Cleary which everybody hates. 7th magical forward, which will fit both to Bottom6 and TOP6. That intangibles guy, true leader, our last Stanley Cup winner left we will have after Z retires.

In other words, easily replaceable...on every NHL roster except this one, apparently.

 

[Frk It]

Helm is the new Cleary which everybody hates. 7th magical forward, which will fit both to Bottom6 and TOP6. That intangibles guy, true leader, our last Stanley Cup winner left we will have after Z retires.

It's funny how much people gravitate toward the "shiny new toys." I remember after Helm's first year or two, this board was gaga over him. He was the next Kris Draper, was going to wear a letter in short order, maybe the C eventually. Kid was lightning in a bottle.

Now he's just a pain in the arse and, like you said, falling in the Cleary bucket. And Athanasiou is Darren Helm circa 2010. The shiny new toy!

People hate Helm's contract. I haven't seen anyone say they hate Helm.

 

[Heaton]

It's funny how much people gravitate toward the "shiny new toys." I remember after Helm's first year or two, this board was gaga over him. He was the next Kris Draper, was going to wear a letter in short order, maybe the C eventually. Kid was lightning in a bottle.

Now he's just a pain in the arse and, like you said, falling in the Cleary bucket. And Athanasiou is Darren Helm circa 2010. The shiny new toy!

That's because Helm was a great 4th line energy player who hit everything he saw. Now he's a top 6 forward getting necessary PP IT and has never eclipsed 35 points in a season.

You guys don't see the difference?

 

[Ezekial]

Helm is the new Cleary which everybody hates. 7th magical forward, which will fit both to Bottom6 and TOP6. That intangibles guy, true leader, our last Stanley Cup winner left we will have after Z retires.

Unless Z plays out his last 2 years and Helm isn't retained, both of their contracts expire the same off-season.

 

[Reddwit]

It's funny how much people gravitate toward the "shiny new toys." I remember after Helm's first year or two, this board was gaga over him. He was the next Kris Draper, was going to wear a letter in short order, maybe the C eventually. Kid was lightning in a bottle.

Now he's just a pain in the arse and, like you said, falling in the Cleary bucket. And Athanasiou is Darren Helm circa 2010. The shiny new toy!

Clearly provided nothing but supposed leadership in his last years. Helm is still a solid player who can be a buzz saw some nights and catch fire on others. People didn't want him back because of the money he'd command and now people resent him for the money he makes, but most still like him as a player. He's actually one of my favorites and I didn't want anything to do with him coming back.

 

[jaster]

People hate Helm's contract. I haven't seen anyone say they hate Helm.

I don't think anyone hates him either. I think people have mostly just come around on him since his early years.

For the record, I think Helm was mostly over-rated over the years. I've always loved his speed and his tenacity, but I've never liked him in anything more than a roughly 50/50 4th-liner/3rd-liner role. And never on the PK or PP. Early on, most people saw him as something more than that.

So it's more that he was over-rated early on, which has less to do with him and more to do with posters here who overrate most young players on this team who have at least one flashy tool (speed, shot, etc.). And now that he has failed to meet those loftier expectations, combined with signing a healthy contract, some people are at least mildly souring on him.

 

[jaster]

That's because Helm was a great 4th line energy player who hit everything he saw. Now he's a top 6 forward getting necessary PP IT and has never eclipsed 35 points in a season.

You guys don't see the difference?

See above post

 

[jaster]

Clearly provided nothing but supposed leadership in his last years. Helm is still a solid player who can be a buzz saw some nights and catch fire on others. People didn't want him back because of the money he'd command and now people resent him for the money he makes, but most still like him as a player. He's actually one of my favorites and I didn't want anything to do with him coming back.

There are significant differences between Helm and Cleary, to be sure. However, the "shiny new toy" bias can be applied to both. To say he's one of your favorites but you also didn't want him back is kind of the epitome of that.

 

[njx9]

Suggesting anyone hates Helm himself is ridiculous, unnecessary hyperbole. Suggesting that it's hypocritical to love a high energy player on an ELC and not want a declining high energy player with no offense on an overpayment (in years and dollars) is absurd.

There are significant differences between Helm and Cleary, to be sure. However, the "shiny new toy" bias can be applied to both. To say he's one of your favorites but you also didn't want him back is kind of the epitome of that.

BS. I love Helm as a player, but he adds nothing this team needs. I want him to go to some other team that's actually in position to win a cup. I don't want him being a roster anchor on this team, which is going nowhere.

 

[jaster]

Suggesting that it's hypocritical to love a high energy player on an ELC and not want a declining high energy player with no offense on an overpayment (in years and dollars) is absurd.

What's absurd is thinking that anyone over the age of 27 is "on the decline." You believe what you've outlined above is absurd because you have built your position on a faulty premise.

The belief around here that prospects are always better options than players who are A) not superstars, and B) over the age of 27 (and therefor "declining") is what is absurd.

BS. I love Helm as a player, but he adds nothing this team needs. I want him to go to some other team that's actually in position to win a cup. I don't want him being a roster anchor on this team, which is going nowhere.

Helm adds plenty of things this team needs. Speed, forechecking, work ethic are a few. Those are things nearly every team needs. On top of that, he's an established NHL player with ample experience and knows what it takes to play at that level. To say he adds nothing to the Wings is also absurd.

I think Helm will be overused, and I think he is overpaid, but this narrative where he is hurting the Wings while at the same time would be a valued addition to a Cup contender is fantasy.

 

[njx9]

What's absurd is thinking that anyone over the age of 27 is "on the decline." You believe what you've outlined above is absurd because you have built your position on a faulty premise.

The belief around here that prospects are always better options than players who are A) not superstars, and B) over the age of 27 (and therefor "declining") is what is absurd.

What does age 27 have to do with Helm? Do you think he wasn't getting slower last year? Were his hands improving? Or is this just a random call out that he can't possibly be declining because age? Further, suggesting that anyone said prospects are always better is completely dishonest. I have no idea why some of you have such a hard time addressing things that were actually said.

Helm adds plenty of things this team needs. Speed, forechecking, work ethic are a few. Those are things nearly every team needs. On top of that, he's an established NHL player with ample experience and knows what it takes to play at that level. To say he adds nothing to the Wings is also absurd.

Yeah? So he's going to add how many wins? This isn't a team that needs speed with no ability to do anything offensively. This isn't a team that needs forechecking with poor puck possession. This isn't a team that needs a guy 'who knows how to play at that level'. This is a team that needs more talent than Helm adds. Unless, of course, you're completely content with having around the 15th best NHL team. Then he's probably your man.

But quick, say something about how our prospects will play if they outplay him, as if that's ever been borne out by team history (oh, now you can mention Larkin or DDK, like they beat out and sent a guy to the pressbox who had just been resigned to a long term, high dollar deal).

I think Helm will be overused, and I think he is overpaid, but this narrative where he is hurting the Wings while at the same time would be a valued addition to a Cup contender is fantasy.

His style of play doesn't improve a mediocre club, plain and simple. He's a complementary player, and we have nothing, whatsoever, for him to complement.

 

[jkutswings]

Helm had 26 points in 77 games. He was a -2 for the season. He was 4th on the team in hits with 115, behind Abdelkader (207), Glendenning (143), and Ericsson (125).

I can go into his face off and posession stats, but what exactly is so remarkable about this guy to give him the contract he got?