AHL: QA with Darren Helm

When the Detroit Red Wings drafted Darren Helm in the fifth round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, the St. Andrews, Manitoba, native had only scored 10 goals and 14 assists in 72 regular season games for the Medicine Hat Tigers, although he had put up decent playoff numbers. From that modest first season of major juniors, Helm has gone on to win a championship, a place on the Memorial Cup All-Star Team, a gold medal, and a Stanley Cup.

McKeen's correspondent Kevin Wey was able to talk with Helm after a late-November Grand Rapids Griffins game. The young forward discussed his meteoric rise in 2007-08, winning the Stanley Cup with Detroit, starting the season in Grand Rapids in 2008-09, winning the WHL championship, playing for Team Canada, and how he's been compared to a Selke winner that's won four Stanley Cups with Detroit.

McKeen's: You're off to a pretty good start to the season, averaging about a point per game for Grand Rapids, but I probably should start with questions about 2007-08. Last season, you missed most of training camp with a shoulder injury and then had a modest 5 goals and 5 assists in your first 41 games with Grand Rapids. Tell me about the first half of 2007-08.

Helm: Obviously the injury was a tough start for me, my first year pro. I had to work my way back into the lineup, coach didn't really see what I could do in camp, and it was up to me to prove that I could play. Slowly I got my chance and took advantage of it. After the first half of the season, I started playing more and started getting my confidence back up, and that's when things started happening.

McKeen's: How did that shoulder injury happen, if I might ask?

Helm: I was just going to finish a check and I kind of eased up a little bit and it was just a freak thing.

McKeen's: As you mentioned, things really took off in the second half. In 26 games with Grand Rapids in the second half of 2007-08, you scored 11 goals and 11 assists, which is pretty good. Tell me more about what changed in the second half to help you really turn it on.

Helm: Confidence was a big factor. I started playing a lot and coach started to trust me a little bit. I was able to just go out and kind of play the game that I was used to playing. I got called up to Detroit there, too, and that was definitely a huge confidence booster for me and showed me that I could play in the NHL, and especially in the AHL. When I came back, things really started clicking for me. I was playing on one of the top lines and got some powerplay time and penalty-kill time. Things started happening and pucks started going in.

McKeen's: That moves perfectly into my next question about how you were recalled to Detroit in March. Tell me about the circumstances of that recall and how those seven games went for you.

Helm: I was really nervous the first time. Obviously, your first time playing in the NHL (pauses), it was my dream the whole time growing up, so getting the opportunity was a great experience for me, and I definitely learned a lot from it. When I came back to Grand Rapids, I had a lot of confidence and I was able to learn a lot from that short stint up with Detroit and it helped out here.

McKeen's: Then there is the next and perhaps more-important stint, which was the Stanley Cup Playoffs. You had 2 goals and 2 assists in 18 playoff games and helped the team win the Stanley Cup. At the beginning of 2007, did you envision yourself at all playing for Detroit in the playoffs?

Helm: No, not at all. My goal going into last year was to get called up for a couple games during the regular season and hopefully become a black ace. I definitely played in way more games than I expected in the regular season and to even get a chance to play in the playoffs was unbelievable. To be a part of that Stanley Cup team, that's an experience of a lifetime. I definitely learned a lot from it and I'm going to use that through to this year and years to come.

McKeen's: Tell me a bit about the celebration immediately thereafter on the ice and then going into the dressing room, and wherever else it spilled over.

Helm: Yeah, it was definitely a good celebration. It took, at the rink, we were probably there three or four hours after the game, celebrating. Tons of media, and family was there, it was kind of surreal. It was a dream come true. I think every player growing up, that's playing hockey, dreams of that moment. For me, for that to happen at such a young age, first year of pro, is definitely very fortunate and lucky to have that opportunity.

McKeen's: Right. It took Ray Bourque and Dave Andreychuk 20-plus years to get it, and some guys like Mike Gartner, Marcel Dionne, and Mats Sundin play well over 1,000 games and never win the Cup. I assume you got a day with the Cup then?

Helm: Yeah.

McKeen's: What did you do on your day with the Cup?

Helm: I had to get up pretty early in the morning, took it a couple places around the little town I'm from, had it with my family for quite a long time and shared with the community for three or four hours. There were about three, four thousand people that showed up. It was really great to see that kind of support. I had another good party, just me and my close friends, family, and anyone I played hockey with and grew up with. It was great to be able to share it with them and with my family as well.

McKeen's: What's the process like for when the NHL brings the Cup to you and then later to pass it off.

Helm: Well, I had to pick up the guy from the hotel, which is no problem for me. I mean, it's a day with the Stanley Cup. After, when he told me I had to pass it on, it wasn't too disappointing. I did everything I needed and wanted to do with it, everybody enjoyed it during the day. It was probably one of the best days of my life. So, I wasn't too disappointed passing it on.

McKeen's: Despite spending the playoffs with the Red Wings, you were assigned to Grand Rapids to start this season. What was your reaction and what did the Wings tell you when they did that?

Helm: At the start of the year, before even going to camp, I knew that with the signing of [Marian] Hossa, there weren't too many spots open. Detroit, knowing them, they like to keep their guys in the minors for a while. I kind of had that feeling that I was going to be heading back down here to "GR." I was definitely disappointed, but I knew I was going to get an opportunity to get a little better and play a lot of minutes and just get more experience and be ready when I get the chance to go back up.

McKeen's: How long of a layoff did you have at the end of last season and then tell me about what you did over the summer and some of the things that you worked on improving?

Helm: I probably took two or three weeks off, for sure, just to relax and to let the body heal up and regenerate and get back to 100 percent. Then I started going back at 'er. I didn't do much different than I usually do. I went to the same trainer, who's been unbelievable for me for the last three years, and he's definitely a big reason that I've been improving as much I have been the last couple years. I just worked a little bit harder, I had that little taste of the NHL and the playoffs. I pushed myself a little bit more than I'd usually do, I think. I was just excited and having fun working out and being with the guys and the trainer.

McKeen's: If I might ask, who is the trainer, and what are some of the things he focuses on?

Helm: His name is Richard Burr, he's from Winnipeg. He just does a lot of hockey-specific stuff, a lot of power and core. He thinks outside of the box, for sure, and he keeps it fresh and he keeps it fun. So, I like going there.

McKeen's: Is that the sort of thing where he's doing a lot of plyos, interval training, track work outs and stuff like that, since hockey training is not as much weightlifting as people might sometimes think?

Helm: He mixes everything all the time. You're using every part of your body when you're playing hockey, so that's kind of what he does every workout. He does strength, he does conditioning, balance, everything you could think of. Each day is (pauses), during the workout it's not too much fun, but afterward you feel good about yourself. It's what you've got to do.

McKeen's: We've talked some about what you're improving on, but what would you say your existing strengths are?

Helm: My speed is number one. I don't think (pauses), without that, I wouldn't be where I am. That's number one. With it, everything kind of falls into place.

McKeen's: Going back to your time with Medicine Hat, you also won a WHL Championship. Tell me a bit about the 2006-07 regular season and then winning that championship.

Helm: That was just, really, a pretty special year for me and the rest of the people I played with. I played three years with some of those guys, and it's a pretty key part of your life and you're growing and making some friendships. Definitely did a lot with that team and keep in close touch with a lot of those guys. We had a really skilled team and everybody came together and did what we had to do and everybody got along. It was just one of those teams that you loved going to the rink and playing for each night.

McKeen's: By winning the WHL championship, you advanced to the Memorial Cup, of course. But, unfortunately for you guys, the roles ended up reversed with Vancouver in the Memorial Cup finals. Tell me what that was like and what you took away from it.

Helm: We were both two evenly matched teams. I guess when it came down to it (pauses), I don't know how I like to say that, but they came out with the win in the big game. I don't know how much I really take out of it other than I knew from the start that either one of our teams could have won that game. It was just one of those games where pucks bounced their way or they worked a little bit harder. I don't know if they worked harder than us (pauses), but, the game went in their favor and that's the way it went.

McKeen's: You also played for Team WHL in the Canada-Russia Challenge Series twice. Tell me about that and how that hockey compared to every night in the WHL.

Helm: It's a lot of the better players in the WHL playing against some really good players from Russia. When I got the chance to play in the first one of those games, I realized that I can play with anyone and with everyone. Before that, I was kind of doubting myself. It was a good experience for me and I kind of started pushing myself a little bit harder and it made me realize that this was a possible goal for me.

McKeen's: You went on further to represent Canada at the World Junior Championships, winning the gold. What was that experience like?

Helm: It was unbelievable. Playing for Team Canada, for my country, it was a dream come true. That tournament, in Canada, is one of the biggest tournaments for Canadians that you can think of, another dream that every kid thinks about. We had a great team, really close, and it was a long haul being overseas. My dad and brother came over and were able to share that moment with me as well. We were playing for more than ourselves and more than just a team, we were playing for our country. Another great experience, another stepping-stone for me in my career, and I was fortunate to be part of that as well.

McKeen's: On that team, you were playing with many of the best prospects from across Canada. Who were some of the teammates on that team that impressed you the most and why?

Helm: Well, I think there's probably eight to ten guys playing in the NHL right now. Definitely one of my teammates, Kris Russell, on the point, from Medicine Hat, went there and he played really well. Being able to play with the top guys in the "O" and the "Q," [Marc] Staal (pauses), there were a lot of good goalies and good players and it was definitely a great experience. Those guys are great players and to be part of that team, I never really thought of myself as that caliber of player, so it was great to be a part of that.

McKeen's: Similarly, whom are some of your Grand Rapids teammates from last season and the first part of this season that have impressed you the most and why?

Helm: I think everybody at certain moments plays really well. I think a lot of the young guys that are in their first year are really playing well for us. I can't really pick any one guy, I think everyone's doing a great job. It shows every night, that we're right there, winning a lot of games. We've got a good young team and everyone's contributing and helping us win.

McKeen's: Lastly, who were some of your favorite players growing up and why, and who are some players now that you'd like to be similar to or equate to in your career?

Helm: When I was really young, I liked Pavel Bure. He was really fast, good with the puck, and a pretty energetic guy to watch and fun to watch. Joe Sakic, a great Canadian player, a great guy, a great leader. After I got drafted, I started getting compared to Kris Draper, and he's an unbelievable player. He's accomplished a lot in his career, and he's the kind of the guy I'm trying to model my game after a little bit. Hopefully that works out for me and I have a good career.

McKeen's: It's certainly worked very well for Kris Draper.

Helm: Yeah, exactly.