Junior Helm started his
junior playing career with the
Selkirk Fishermen of the
Keystone Junior Hockey League (KJHL). He led the league in scoring for the 2003–04 season with 73 points in 34 games, en route to helping the Fishermen to a league championship. He also appeared in six games for the
Selkirk Steelers of the Junior A
Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) that season. The following season, in
2004–05, Helm went on to play for the
Medicine Hat Tigers of the
Western Hockey League, beginning a three-year major junior career. Following a 24-point WHL rookie season, which was complemented by two goals and six assists in thirteen playoff games, Helm was drafted by the
Detroit Red Wings in the fifth round, 132nd overall, of the
2005 NHL entry draft. His second season in the WHL was much more productive as he led his team in scoring with 79 points in 70 games. Helm remained with the Red Wings for their
2008 playoff run, centering the fourth line, and scored his first NHL goal on May 10, 2008, during game two of the
Western Conference finals against the
Dallas Stars. He contributed 2 goals and 2 assists in 18 playoff games, helping the Red Wings to the franchise's 11th
Stanley Cup. Despite being able to stick with the NHL club for the last part of his professional rookie season, Helm returned to the AHL in
2008–09. After appearing in 16 regular season games for the Red Wings, however, he was called up once again for the first game of the
2009 playoffs. During game seven of the Western Conference semifinal series against the
Anaheim Ducks, Helm scored a crucial goal on a breakaway to give the Wings a 2-0 lead. The Wings won the game and advanced to the Western Conference Finals against the
Chicago Blackhawks, where he scored the series-winning goal in overtime of game five. With the goal, Helm became the first player in NHL history to score five playoff goals before scoring a regular season goal. He increased his total to six playoff goals before scoring a regular season goal, extending his record. For the
2009–10 NHL season, Helm was placed as the regular fourth line centre. His speed and determination led
Detroit Red Wings coach
Mike Babcock to name Helm as "probably our best player from start to finish." He had a notable game on New Year's Eve of 2009, when he scored two short-handed goals in a single outing against the
Colorado Avalanche. Following the season, the Red Wings signed Helm to a two-year contract extension worth $1.825 million. The contract has an annual cap hit of $912,500. Helm has developed a reputation of being one of the league's top defensive players, as well as one of the fastest. During the
2010–11 NHL season Helm stepped into a more consistent scoring role, setting career highs in all statistics. During the
2011 playoffs coach
Mike Babcock named Helm "an elite player, probably not a fourth-line player" On June 19, 2012, Helm signed a four-year, $8.5 million contract extension with the Detroit Red Wings. During the Red Wings 2012-13 training camp, Helm was diagnosed with a chronic back condition that forced him to miss all but one game in the 2012-13 season and much of the first half of the 2013-14 season. On March 29, 2014, Helm recorded his first career
hat-trick in a game against the
Toronto Maple Leafs. On July 1, 2016, Helm signed a five-year, $19.25 million contract extension with the Red Wings. Helm spent 14 years with the Red Wings, appearing in 744 regular-season games and recording 112 goals and 139 assists. His 744 regular season games with Detroit ranks 17th overall in the history of the franchise. He said he had "mixed emotions" about leaving Detroit, as he had "been here for a long time. I've raised a family here." Helm was also the last remaining member of Detroit's 2008 Stanley Cup Championship team.
Colorado Avalanche (2021-23) On July 29, 2021, the
Colorado Avalanche signed Helm to a one-year, $1 million contract for the season. After recording 7 goals and 8 assists through 68 regular season games in a fourth-line role with the Avalanche, the team entered the
2022 Stanley Cup playoffs with the second-best record in the league, but also a recent history of faltering in the second round of the playoffs. After sweeping the
Nashville Predators, the Avalanche faced the
St. Louis Blues in the second round. In Game 6 of the second round, with the game tied and seemingly heading to overtime, Helm scored a goal with 5.6 seconds left in regulation to send the Avalanche to the Western Conference Final for the first time since
2002. The Avalanche defeated the
Edmonton Oilers in the conference finals to advance to the
Stanley Cup Finals, the third Finals appearance of Helm's career. The Avalanche went on to defeat the
Tampa Bay Lightning in six games, Helm's second Cup win. On July 13, 2022, Helm was re-signed by the Avalanche to a one-year, $1.25 million contract extension for the season. On July 5, 2023, Helm retired from playing professional hockey after missing most of the season due to injury. == International play ==