Avalanche sign veteran forward Darren Helm to one-year, $1M deal

Longtime Detroit Red Wings forward Darren Helm signed a one-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche in free agency. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports the deal carries a $1M cap hit.

Come October, Helm will play his first NHL game outside of the Detroit Red Wings organization. After 14 seasons in Detroit, which included 744 games and a Stanley Cup ring, Helm will depart for Denver for what could be his last season in the NHL. Helm’s dealt with constant injury issues, mainly concussions, throughout his career. He’s still managed to tally over 100 goals and 250 points over the course of his career. Last season was a career-worst for the 34-year-old, however, scoring just eight points in 47 games.

Helm carries limited upside for the Avs but brings a gritty veteran presence to what is shaping up to be a very youthful and inexperienced bottom-six forward group. While his scoring ability is nonexistent, Helm’s still been a good defensive forward on a team that hasn’t played much defense in recent seasons. He likely slots in as the team’s fourth-line center, possibly a direct replacement for Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. It looks to be a solid bet for the Avs, which gain a dependable defensive presence to aid their youth.