signed Darren Helm re-signed: 5 years, $3.85m AAV

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

This shows you he does not care about the fans...Unless this is some sign and trade junk this is bull. This is nothing more than the "I'm being loyal to my players" bull. This sucks.

[Echolalia 2,961]

I guess I'm the only one who's glad he's staying. Price is a bit too high but realistically he was always going to get paid somewhere in the 3-4M range, so I don't think it's even so much of an overpayment, certainly not enough to get bent out of shape about and think it's the end of the world, especially cuz the Wings have 100 billion dollars to work with atm now that Stamkos isn't in the plans.

[xtrememachine1 795]

I'm actually happy Helm is back. I'm not thrilled about the money, but it was necessary to keep him. I can see that most of you didn't want him back, especially at that price, but the truth is, if we lose Helm we're going to be a slower team. I think our options were to either sign Helm at 3.85 or sign a different player, who is slower or has similar production for $4 mil or more. Different doesn't mean better. Sometimes better means trying something different. Carl Hagelin, who I feel is a similar player to Helm, had numbers similar to Helm before he was put on a good line with Bonino and Kessel. Helm could very well be the same way. Put him on a line with AA or Larkin and Tatar or trade for Nash or sign Vanek and that line could produce big numbers.

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

If they aren't going to try and change it up and get someone in there thats going to possibly make us better then why not just get some big dumb fighting bruiser. At least we can have some kind of entertainment with him. Geez. We went from "oh man maybe holland has turned it around to ah s*** there he is..the old holland.

[evilmrt 636]

Pretty sad job by Holland. You do not pay 4 million for someone who isn't in the top two lines.

[Echolalia 2,961]

I'm actually happy Helm is back. I'm not thrilled about the money, but it was necessary to keep him. I can see that most of you didn't want him back, especially at that price, but the truth is, if we lose Helm we're going to be a slower team. I think our options were to either sign Helm at 3.85 or sign a different player, who is slower or has similar production for $4 mil or more. Different doesn't mean better. Sometimes better means trying something different. Carl Hagelin, who I feel is a similar player to Helm, had numbers similar to Helm before he was put on a good line with Bonino and Kessel. Helm could very well be the same way. Put him on a line with AA or Larkin and Tatar or trade for Nash or sign Vanek and that line could produce big numbers.

I think an AA Larkin Helm line could be a lot of fun to watch and should be pretty balanced as well

[Datsyukian-Deke 722]

Pretty sad job by Holland. You do not pay 4 million for someone who isn't in the top two lines.

The scary part is he might be on the top 2 lines...............

[DatsyukianDekes 2,428]

If they aren't going to try and change it up and get someone in there thats going to possibly make us better then why not just get some big dumb fighting bruiser. At least we can have some kind of entertainment with him. Geez. We went from "oh man maybe holland has turned it around to ah s*** there he is..the old holland.

Why don't you let the rest of the day play out? Half of LGW on suicide watch right now.

I'd Shaw any day over Helm.

[evilmrt 636]

The scary part is he might be on the top 2 lines...............

Okay, you don't have to tell horror stories this early in the day

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

Why don't you let the rest of the day play out? Half of LGW on suicide watch right now.

I'm on no suicide watch...hell it's not worth it. I'm all about the entertainment of it all...and this is like when we found out Ben affleck was going to play batman...it's so crazy all you can do is shake your head.

[Mors 201]

Helm is going the way of Cleary, a bad contract tainting a lot of fond memories of the guy.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

If they aren't going to try and change it up and get someone in there thats going to possibly make us better then why not just get some big dumb fighting bruiser. At least we can have some kind of entertainment with him. Geez. We went from "oh man maybe holland has turned it around to ah s*** there he is..the old holland.

John Scott , Patrick Bourdelaus and Ryan Reeves would mean a lot of entertainment for a fraction of the cap

[evilmrt 636]

this is like when we found out Ben affleck was going to play batman

Haha. You win.

[Copenhagen848 58]

Who cares what Helm would have gotten on the open market?!?!?! Let some other team overpay the s*** out of him...

I'm unbelievably pissed about this signing - way too much money for way too long. Same team, different year, same result (or worse, probably.) Eat me Holland.

[kliq 3,755]

Not going to comment until I see what else he has planned. You need assets to replace assets that you move, so if this signing is to fill spots because trades are coming, I like it. If this signing is just to put out the exact same roster on the ice minus Datsyuk as last year, I cant say I love it.

[VM1138 1,921]

We need Helm. That price and term, though...with Radulov gone it sure does look like we won't be making any bold changes. Add a vet (Nielsen) for center depth and call it any year from 2010-2015.

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

Man I'm so glad we got to keep our Luis Mendoza.

[AtlantaHotWings 974]

Going to garage and getting rope and tying hangman's noose before noon. So I can be like Holland and gradually choke the rest of the day.

[joesuffP 1,746]

Pretty sure the Red Wings are the only team in the league that would pay him that much

Dekeseyer is getting 7M confirmed I don't think Holland watches any other teams besides the red wings...Dekeseyer is a franchise dman because he'll be paid like one. Guarantee DD gets paid more than Seth Jones. I'd rather be a basement team than structure our core off mediocre players

I really like Helm and think he is pretty under valued around here but that salary and term is a complete joke There's no way around it Holland blew it and if this is how he manages players he shouldn't be doing it anymore. Almost 4M a year for a lengthy term for a 4th line player. This is worse than Abby's deal

Edited July 1, 2016 by joesuffP

[datterberg1340 626]

In Merriam-Webster's dictionary there should be a pic of Holland next to the definition of 'loyalty'.

don't forget 'stupidity', 'futility', and 'liability'!

[kliq 3,755]

Pretty sure the Red Wings are the only team in the league that would pay him that much

Dekeseyer is getting 7M confirmed I don't think Holland watches any other teams besides the red wings...Dekeseyer is a franchise dman because he'll be paid like one. Guarantee DD gets paid more than Seth Jones. I'd rather be a basement team than structure our core off mediocre players

All the reports out there are saying that he took a hometown discount.

[paulwoodsfan 52]

I would have been OK with him walking, but maybe this is a reaction to Filppula/Weiss -- overpay the guy you know rather than the guy you don't know who will replace him, and hope that in a year or two he isn't considered overpriced for what he brings.

[JPT 26]

I yelled NO in my apartment when I saw this thread. It's not that Darren Helm is not a useful player, he's good to have on the PK and in the bottom 6. It's that he's taking a spot I'd rather have a young player in and if we're going to give out too many years in a contract I'd rather it be for Okposo or Lucic. Or maybe we're not in the running for those guys.

At this point I'd rather save the cap space for next year and try again with the top FA.....

[joesuffP 1,746]

This deal sucks obviously but besides maybe Mantha theirs no good forwards being left off the team anymore. Mantha might be a full timer to start the year. I don't think we have anyone close to being an impact NHLer at forward in GR anymore

[Bolgar 62]

May be the words offseason ever since I started following the Wings. We lost Datsyuk, couldn't land Stamkos, and resigned BOTH Miller and Helm, with the latter being way overpaied and "overtermed". It's gonna be a long-long season.

On the bright side, we miss playoffs and Ilitches recognise that a change is a must.

Edit: misprints

Edited July 1, 2016 by Bolgar