DETROIT -- Red Wings Executive Vice President and General Manager Ken Holland today announced that the club has agreed to terms with forward Darren Helm on a four-year contract. In accordance with team policy, additional terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Helm, 25, was originally a fifth-round selection (132nd overall) of the Red Wings in the 2005 National Hockey League Entry Draft. He appeared in 68 games for the Red Wings in 2011-12, finishing the season with 26 points (9G-17A-26P) and 12 PIM. Helm missed 14 games due to injury, including the final 10 games of the season with a knee sprain suffered on March 17 at San Jose. The Winnipeg, Manitoba, native returned for Game One of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Nashville Predators, but played only 3:08 before suffering lacerated tendons in his right forearm after being struck by an opponent’s skate in the first period. The 5-11, 195-lb. forward is expected to make a full recovery in time for the start of training camp in September.

“Darren is an important part of our team and we’re very happy that we’ve reached an agreement,” said Holland. “He’s one of the fastest skaters in the game and we love the physical element that he brings. He’s an outstanding penalty killer and the ideal third line center for us behind Pavel (Datsyuk) and Henrik (Zetterberg). We really missed him when he was out of the lineup in March and April.”

Helm is entering his fourth full season with the team. He played in just 16 regular season games for the Red Wings from 2007-09, but appeared in 41 postseason games during that same span and was an important part of Detroit’s 2008 Stanley Cup championship run and its return to the Stanley Cup Final in 2009. Helm’s career numbers include 248 games played, 83 points (32G-51A-83P) and 52 PIM. In 65 career postseason games, he’s collected 16 points (10G-6A-16P) and 18 PIM.