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