Darren Helm scores overtime goal to win Western Conference final for Detroit Redwings 2009.

[lpncubs3]

Helm has the potential to be the best. He needs to learn how to finish of shots on the one man break though. other words deke in front of the net rather than just take it in and shoot

[TheEighty84]

anywhere else draper would be a first line player. he can score, forecheck and grind it out. plus he had some speed. he"s a stanly cup champ,a selke winner,and played for team canada.

[tadaskay]

First and foremost, Draper knew how to finish, if he was put on the first line back in the pre-salary cap era, he could've posted 50 GOALS, not points, but goals. (And please don't retort by saying that yes, it is the first line...just...so much wrong with that statement). Yes, Helm is a good player, who should become a great player, but he needs to learn how to finish, and get his stick handling skills under control. With those two things, and his speed, he's going to be trouble for any team

[relam13]

@tadaskay Draper was on the grind-line for a reason, he wasn't a goal scorer. The only reason he would have inflated goal totals is because he'd be playing with two of Yzerman, Fedorov, and Shanahan. Christ, put McCarty on a line with that kind of star power and he'd probably score 30-40 goals easy.

[tadaskay]

@relam13 Re-read my post dude. Draper knew how to finish, hell, he scored 50 goals down in the minors. He knew how to score, he knew how to finish. The reason Draper was put on the fourth line was for defense, because they had enough goal scorers on the first-third lines as is. They needed one line for defense, to sustain some pressure, and wear down the other team. Hell, Maltby could've popped 20 goals if he was on the PP.

[houthoofd13]

I was there, what a great game!

[BGibby]

Darren Helm is a saint. If he ever found a way to finish he'd be a top 6 forward easily.

[mustbeburtreynolds]

@BGibby What are you talking about? He has much better finishing ability than Draper ever had, and he can pick a shot on a breakaway.

He'll be the Wings' second line center in due time.

[BGibby]

@mustbeburtreynolds Haha I never mentioned Drapes but to say he has much better finishing ability than Draper is a bit of a stretch don't you think? What has Helm ever done for you to come to that conclusion? Draper won a Selke scoring 24 goals. Helm..........scored a goal one time.

[mustbeburtreynolds]

@BGibby Draper won a Selke playing alongside what was basically an allstar team, e.g. Yzerman, Shanahan, Hull, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Ray Whitney and others. Helm plays on a salary-capped post-dynasty-era Wings team, usually on a line with relative no-namers Drew Miller and Patrick Eaves.

Draper is ubiquitously recognized as an absolute non-finisher. He failed on pretty much every breakaway he ever had. He was a brilliant defensive forward, but there's no doubt that Helm is a better scorer.

[mustbeburtreynolds]

@BGibby Not to mention that Draper's 24 goal season was an absolute outlier. His next five highest-scoring seasons brought in 15, 14, 14, 13, and 10 goals, respectively.

Helm has 11 goals and 10 goals in his first two seasons, a quicker start than Draper saw at the beginning of his career.

p.s. I brought up Draper and compared Helm to him because Helm *is* the new Draper. Strong third/fourth line center with a deadly penalty-killing ability. That's their niche.

[mustbeburtreynolds]

@BGibby I might have exaggerated saying he'll eventually become second line center, but if the Wings don't do something after Datsyuk and Zetterberg are gone and focus more on their defensive game in the next decade, it could easily happen.

And for the record, Helm is right on par with Draper in playoff scoring, 1-4 goals per PO season.

[B00MH0]

@mustbeburtreynolds He'll be a first line player, I'm sure of it. He'll also be the captain, mark my words.

[mustbeburtreynolds]

@B00MH0 Haha that's funny you say that. After I watched him take off like a rocket and put away that breakaway goal in Game 7 against Anaheim back in '09 (/watch?v=scVutse_U2c&feature=­related), the first thing I thought was "Wow this kid is special, watch him become captain after Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Kronwall are gone."

[B00MH0]

@mustbeburtreynolds Yup, he's the hardest worker. And for a player as young as 24 to play for the the Red Wings, he's going to be amazing. Same with Kindl and maybe Abdelkader. But, I fully expect Helm to be the Captain when Zetterberg and Lidstrom are gone. Datsyuk won't be C because he just can't speak english haha. Helm will be a70 point player by the time he is 26.