[Discussion] Is Darren Helm the perfect 4th line center on a Willie Desjardins team? What will he cost?

[Ilya Mikheyev]

huh?

Just explaining that if the Canucks offered 1M MORE PER YEAR to Helm OVER FIVE YEARS, he would 5M MORE OVER A 5 YEAR PERIOD.

Yes to players like Helm. No to overpaying for them.

The way I see it, 4th liners are pretty replaceable, and if the team got someone like Slater on a PTO I would be happy with it, while it would cost a decent amount (both in trading for and signing him after) to get Helm. Not saying he isn't valuable, it's just that the team shouldn't focus so much of its assets on upgrading at 4th line center of all places when he (and that position) won't be the make-or-break factor for the team's success. He'll also eat up so much of the remaining cap space.

What's more, I wouldn't entertain trading Hutton given the team's bare D cupboard. Best case in my eyes would be to PTO Slater and trade Vey for an offensive D prospect (like Rundblad) and keep Kenins as the 13th guy.

Fair enough, so going after him if he makes it to free agency is a good idea, but he's not worth assets in your opinion?

Helm is better than Hansen. He is comparable to Hansen with style and versatility. Anything over what he is getting paid now is too much. Great player that im pretty sure is happy where he is.

I agree he's slightly better than Hansen, but honestly Helm is going to get a raise. He'll make more than 2.5M next year.

[Pr3mo]

Really like Helm , having a 4th line making 8m+ Seems kinda nuts though.

[Guest]

A 100% healthy Darren Helm would be worth a $3.5m contract - the question is, what does that do for our future contract negotiations? Bo Horvat needs a new deal in two years. Would he see Sutter and Helm making $8m combined and say to GMJB "I'm better than both, give me $6m"?

A 4 year, $2.5m AAV deal would be perfect for me. You can then put Dorsett on Helm's right side, and bring through young LWs such as Gaunce, Shinkaruk and Kenins to learn from the two experienced vets without having the pressure of having to be a solid two-way player immediately.

Then again, I doubt Helm comes here for $10m over four years.

[Neversummer]

I thought the Canucks only take players from Florida Panthers.

[Ghostsof1915]

We've got McCann and Cassels in the system, we don't need any more centres. We already have guys like Gaunce who are being moved to the wing.

[RonMexico]

Don't want him nor do I think we need him.

[DownUndaCanuck]

Would be one of the best 4th liners in the NHL. I think he'll most likely be Detroit's 3rd line center or winger next season and maybe bumped down if he plays poorly, but he scored 15 goals last season which is very good for a 4th liner or average for a 3rd liner.

I'd rather give the opportunity to Cassels or Gaunce (or Vey) and hope one of those 3 can score 10-15 goals.

[tyhee]

Canucks have Henrik, Sutter and Horvat for their first 3. Helm would make a good addition. However, I don't think it makes sense for the Canucks.

In coming years Canucks have, as things now stand, Vey, Cassels and McCann to look to for their future 4C.

What are the Canucks goals? Is is worthwhile putting a long-term roadblack (the original poster suggested 5 years) in the way of our center prospects to acquire someone who is 28 (29 half way through the season) so as to improve right now?

Is it worth giving up any assets at all or paying $3.75 mill a year for a 4th line center when your other main options for the future are Vey, Cassels or McCann, the latter two on entry-level contracts? Might there not be a better use of that money in the salary cap era?

It looks to me to be a case of a good player who is a poor fit for the Canucks' future given circumstances as they are at present.