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Darren Helm was a key to Colorado Avalanche 2021-22 championship

By Graham Tiedtke

May 27, 2022; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Darren Helm (43) reacts after scoring the game winning goal against St. Louis Blues goaltender Ville Husso (35) during the third period in game six of the second round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
May 27, 2022; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Darren Helm (43) reacts after scoring the game winning goal against St. Louis Blues goaltender Ville Husso (35) during the third period in game six of the second round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Darren Helm spent the majority of his career in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings. He made it to the postseason eight times while playing for Detroit before making his way out west to the Colorado Avalanche. Helm spent two seasons with the Avalanche, and the first year was a memorable one.

Well, in the end. While Helm missed all but one game in the 2022-23 season due to a hip injury he had surgery, he finished the 2021-22 regular season with two goals and three assists in 20 regular season games.

At 36 years old, Helm has called it a career. Though he only spent two seasons with the Colorado Avalanche, I wanted to say a quick thank you to Helm. If it weren’t for him, the Avalanche may not have advanced in the 2021-22 playoffs. At the end of the day, Helm was part of a team that continued to fight tooth and nail despite the odds.

It’s been obvious that the Avalanche brought in guys they deemed a potential key part of a championship.

The Avalanche have improved gradually since Jared Bednar was hired as head coach, and it’s great to have been able to call Darren Helm a piece of history for Colorado.

Now, the Avalanche move forward without Helm. They have filled up their roster with trade acquisitions and draft picks (for a later time) as they try and get back to the Stanley Cup Finals. I hope that Bednar shows that playoff game-winning goal to this year’s team to try and boost confidence and make this team hungrier than they were last season.

At the end of the day, confidence may not need to be boosted, but it’s not a bad thing to have that extra motivation. Couple that with staying healthy as a team and the Avalanche could get back to their dominant form going forward.

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