Fitness never has been an issue with Detroit's Darren Helm, who this year opted for less heavy lifting and more cardio training.DETROIT -- Darren Helm spent the summer mountain biking through hilly terrain, swimming in a lake, fishing for meals and keeping an eye out for dangerous wildlife.
The Detroit Red Wings center mixed work with pleasure in a different kind of offseason training regimen, connecting with nature at his new cabin on Lake of the Woods, Ontario.
Fitness never has been an issue with Helm, who this year opted for less heavy lifting and more cardio training.
"I didn’t want to get too bulky and not be able to handle the puck," Helm said. "I feel it’s kind of gotten in my way for a couple of years. I did a lot more cardio. Hopefully my lungs are good, my legs are good.
"If it pays off in the end, then I’ll probably have to start doing that more often."
The Red Wings know what to expect from Helm. He creates turnovers with his speed, aggressive forechecking and physical play, making him difficult to play against. He also creates numerous scoring chances because of his speed, particularly short-handed, and has scored a combined 23 goals the past two seasons.
Helm believes he can produce more offensively. He is centering the third line, with Todd Bertuzzi and Justin Abdelkader, a unit that has meshed well heading into Friday’s game against Columbus at Joe Louis Arena.
"I think with the chances I get, the pucks will go in a little bit more this year -- with confidence, a little more poise with the puck," Helm said. "They have to start (going in) sometime. Last year, I finished (better). Hopefully this year I keep it going."
He still is learning how to harness his speed when he has the puck in scoring situations.
"Just keep things a little slow at times and use my speed when I have to," Helm said. "When I’m going a little bit slower, that’s when I can handle the puck a little better, make the smarter plays, decisions."
Helm also wants to improve by a couple of percentage points in the faceoff circle (he was at 52.6 percent last season), and be better defensively.
"With confidence and more ice time, he will take another step," teammate Henrik Zetterberg said. "He’s already showing that. He’s a strong player and really takes advantage of his speed.
"He will create a lot of chances. Hopefully he’ll score more, but if not, we’re happy with the way he is. He creates a lot of momentum for the team, drawing penalties, keeping the puck from the other team. He’s going to be one of (our) top players this year."
If Helm has another strong season, he’s sure to spend more time training at his peaceful retreat in southwestern Ontario, near the borders of Manitoba and Minnesota. It’s an area that has become a popular summer destination for NHL players, including Detroit defenseman Ian White.
"I just love that it’s away from the city," Helm said. "It was a good summer for training at the lake.
"Every once in a while, I’d go back into Winnipeg (his hometown) and hook up with my trainer (Richard Burr) I’ve had for the last 6-7 years. He put me through the paces."
The workouts at the lake weren’t easy, either, especially biking twice a week.
"It’s all up and down," Helm said. "The first time I did it, I almost quit halfway through. Maybe 20-30 miles, nothing too crazy, but when you’re going up hills, you could probably walk faster than I was riding.
"It’s pretty tough, but it was a lot of fun. Couple of times you’d come up the hill and just see a view of the whole lake. It was beautiful."
He also had to be aware of his surroundings, which prompted him to use the treadmill more than the running trails.
"There were a few bears lurking around," Helm said. "I saw a couple while riding my bike, so I figured I’ll just stick to the bike and the swimming.
One particular black bear and her cub were wandering around a lot.
"I came over a big hill one day, they were sitting at the bottom," Helm said. "I had to pump the brakes pretty quick and let them just wander off. They’re pretty fast animals, but I was on my bike, so I felt pretty confident I could (outrace them)."
He feared the deer, the bucks with the big antlers, even more.
"They’re really quiet and don’t really see you until you’re right there," Helm said. "I’d come up a hill once in a while and have to start yelling at the deer to get out of the way. I came out of the corner one day pretty (fast) and there was one just standing on the road, I almost hit him. That scared me more (than the bears)."
Before and after workouts, Helm liked to sit at the end of the dock and cast for walleye, sometimes bass.
"I love fishing, there’s something very relaxing, calm about it," Helm said. "My dad really knows how to fish. I learned a lot from him. When he comes out, he shows me some spots that I hadn’t known before, gives me a few techniques."
The fish were biting most days.
"I learned how to cut them up and cook them this summer," Helm said. "Whenever I wanted fish for dinner, breakfast, lunch, I’d just go out for a couple of hours, catch a couple, cut them up. I got a good technique for barbecuing them."
The lake and the woods are a home away from home for Helm.
"Waking up every morning looking outside the window and seeing the lake, it’s amazing," he said.