Bosc Ulrich II
OTP Resident Historian
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 2927
Location: Your own blue line!
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 Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 2:07 pm Post subject: RWC REPORT 01/28/2008: Helm making AHL impact |
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http://www.redwingscentral.com/stories/2008_01/28_RWCReport.php
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You wouldn’t know it from looking at statistics alone, but Darren Helm is having one of the best seasons of any prospect in the Detroit Red Wings’ system.
The 21-year-old American Hockey League rookie forward has been one of the few bright spots for the struggling Grand Rapids Griffins, producing five goals and four assists in 40 games in a second-line, penalty-killing capacity.
“Darren has been outstanding — he uses his speed, and that’s his big asset,” Griffins general manager Bob McNamara. “He has high-end NHL speed and he’s been excellent taking it wide, taking it to the net. Penalty-killing, he’s been great.”
Helm, who missed training camp and several early-season games with a shoulder injury, doesn’t have offensive numbers that turn heads, but he isn’t getting much power-play time. That could change down the stretch, McNamara said.
McNamara singled out Helm, along with AHL all-stars Jimmy Howard and Jonathan Ericsson, as Detroit’s standout prospects in Grand Rapids this season.
“He’s gonna play in the NHL, my guess is within a year, year and a half, and maybe a call-up or two here or there,” McNamara said. “If I would compare him to a Red Wing, he’s in the Kris Draper mold, with a little more offensive upside.” |
I'll take a guy in that mold any day of the week, whether we get him for a dollar or with a 5th round pick.
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Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill agreed that Helm would probably be ready for full-time NHL duty after another year of seasoning.
“He’s not getting rewarded point-wise, but he’s doing everything you want a guy to do,” Nill said. “He kills penalties, he’s got good speed, he’s tenacious on the puck, and he wins battles. He missed half of training camp and the start of the season, but he’s earned his rights and become one of our top forwards (in Grand Rapids).” |
Other notes:
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Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson clocked a 100.1 mile-per-hour slap shot during the AHL all-star skills competition on Sunday, second to Rochester right-winger Mark Mancari's record of 102.8. He was well ahead of everyone else, as third-ranked Alexandre Picard of Philadelphia checked in at 96.5.
Goaltender Jimmy Howard stopped four of six shots in the breakaway relay. He also turned aside eight of nine shots in the rapid-fire competition.
PlanetUSA, which features Ericsson and Howard, won the event on cumulative points earned over seven events, 15-9 over Canada.
Forward Dick Axelsson (Djurgarden, Swedish Elite League) has gone cold after a terrific start. He has just a goal in his last 12 games (12-1-3-4) and three goals in his last 22 (22-3-6-9) after scoring five times in 12 games to start the year.
Forward Joakim Andersson was called up from Sweden's second level this week and played in three Swedish Elite League games with Frolunda. The 18-year-old saw limited ice time and didn't record a point. |
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