2010 NHL free agency: Red Wings re-sign forward Darren Helm

Detroit Red Wings center Darren Helm (43) celebrates his winning goal in the final seconds of the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010, in Los Angeles. The Red Wings won 2-1.(AP Photo/Gus Ruelas)

AP

With the impending signing of Mike Modano, the Detroit Red Wings are taking care of the rest of their business at last. TSN’s Darren Dreger tweets the news of Darren Helm re-signing with the Red Wings for two years.

Helm 2 year ext with Det. $825,000 and $1 mil.

With those salary numbers, Helm’s cap hit with the Red Wings works out to be $912,500 for those two years and turns out to be a great bargain for the team. Helm emerged during the team’s Stanley Cup run in 2008 as one of the fastest skaters in the NHL and as a tenacious penalty killer.

With Mike Modano in the fold with the team as the likely third line center, the fourth line shapes up to be a jack-of-all-trades defensive line with Helm, Kris Draper and either Drew Miller, Patrick Eaves, or Justin Abdelkader. Abdelkader is team’s last restricted free agent waiting to be signed and should get a deal done soon. The Wings, once Modano is signed, will have just about $1.5 million left on the cap to get Abdelkader and a depth defenseman signed. Not a bad place to be all things considered. If the Wings can’t add a depth defenseman, they’ll be going with either Jakub Kindl or Derek Meech as the sixth defenseman.