Red Wings Sign Helm to Four-Year Extension

The Detroit Red Wings announced on Tuesday that they have signed forward Darren Helm to a four-year contract extension.

As per club policy, financial terms of the deal were not announced.  Earlier in the day, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that the deal was worth $8.5 million, for an annual cap hit of $2.125 million.

Helm just completed his fifth season with the Red Wings after being selected by the club with their fifth round pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.  He’s scored 32 goals and 17 assists in 248 games, mostly in a penalty-killing role as a third- and foruth- liner.

He missed the final ten games of the 2011-12 season with a knee injury.  He returned to start the playoffs but played only one game, taking a skate to his right forearm that caused a lacerated tendon.

He’s expected to make a full recovery for the 2012-13 season.

Helm was set to become a restricted free agent on July 1.