Hockeytown – the speedster is back and ready for action. Darren Helm, who has been out of play since last January due to several injuries accumulated over the past 19 months, played his first NHL game this week.Helm, who netted his first game against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, November 2, is feeling as good as ever. With Stephen Weiss out of the lineup and Luke Glendening getting the call up to the team, the Wings need a little bit of a boost in their forward section; who would have thought?

“I can’t change my style, no,” Helm said. “When I start trying to play a skill game it goes downhill fast so just work hard, get those guys the puck in front of the net, do some hard work and plays will get made.”

Helm has 33 goals and 51 assists, recording 84 points and a +1 rating throughout his 253 game career in the Wing Wheel sweater. Recording zero points in one game played last season, the Red Wings are expecting good things to come of Helm’s return.

“He was missed when he was gone, obviously his speed is,” said linemate Mikael Samuelsson. “I think everybody talks about his speed but there’s more to it than that. He knows how to finish and he sees to us as well. It’s good to make the other team back up a little bit, he gives other players more room.”

Samuelsson, a veteran who has not seen much productivity from his personal play, believes that with Helm back in the lineup the Wings are a more diverse threat offensively.

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Information from the Detroit Red Wings was used in this report.

For more information on the Detroit Red Wings and NHL hockey from analysts and journalists at Michigan State University – tune into Octopi Hockeytown podcasts and embrace the Spartan debate at www.impact89fm.org/sports

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Austin Goodman is the host of Octopi Hockeytown for Impact Sports

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