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Colorado Avalanche get PK boost with Darren Helm return vs Golden Knights

By Graham Tiedtke

Jun 18, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Darren Helm (43) is congratulated following his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in game two of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 18, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Darren Helm (43) is congratulated following his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in game two of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Colorado Avalanche are slowly but surely getting healthier as we approach the halfway point of the 2022-23 regular season. The team is getting Darren Helm back against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Helm has missed the entire season up to this point with an abdominal injury that he suffered during the team’s playoff and Stanley Cup run from last postseason.

Helm would return to the team’s penalty kill unity. The Avalanche currently rank 20th in the NHL during penalty kills at 75.44 percent this season. Last year during the regular season, the Avalanche ranked 15th at 79.66 percent.

In 68 regular season games last year, Helm recorded seven goals and eight assists on 93 shots. He had a faceoff percentage of 44.21 percent last season, the fourth-worst of his NHL career.

The Avalanche have just not been able to stay healthy this season. It’s been a constant topic during the year, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. The Avalanche have fallen flat in their last three games, losing to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings, and Arizona Coyotes by a combined score of 17-9.

Colorado got star center iceman Nathan MacKinnon for their game against the Maple Leafs on Saturday, but in that game, they lost by a score of 6-2.

It could be fair to ask at this point whether or not the Colorado Avalanche will be able to overcome all of these injuries this season. While we could see the injured players return, it’s really a matter of whether or not their returns will be too late. The Avalanche are currently fourth in the central division and have a long way to go to climb to the top.

In reality it is fair to assume the team would be a lot closer to the top had these injuries not been an issue but the constant depth chart shuffling has been a big problem for the team.

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