CrashingTheGoalie

by Ron Spence

Canucks’ prospects Hodgson, Grabner, and Schneider will be facing the greatest challenge of their young hockey careers, when the powerhouse Bears come to Manitoba.

And, Hershey will be led by former ‘nuck journeyman, Bryan Helmer.

The 6′1″, 208 pound Dman – who now captains the Bears – played in the Canucks’ organization from 2000-01 until 2002-03. The 36-year-old appeared in 62 games for Vancouver, with the rest of his time spent in Manitoba and the “I.”

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Bryan thought that a teammate was at it again.

“I thought it was a joke,” Helmer said. “I never heard [Don Fishman's] voice before and I said, ‘Pam (his wife), listen to this.’ He said he wanted to sign me and call me up [to the Caps].

So I ended up calling Woody, our coach here in Hershey and asking if it was true and he said yeah.

The butterflies came, I was so excited, calling everybody, jumping in my car and I drove up to Washington.”

Washington Assistant G-M Don Fishman had opted for experience, rather than young talent (Patrick McNeill) – after a rash of Caps’ injuries. Plus, Helmer could be paired with Tyler Sloan, the defenseman he had played with in Hershey earlier this past season.

After the call, Washington signed Helmer to a two way deal – $475,000 for his time in D.C. and $170,000 for his play in Hershey.

That was in November, but two months before, he had hoped to re-sign with Phoenix, and they weren’t interested. So, he had joined powerhouse Hershey – the Bears have played for the Calder Trophy in three of the past four years.

At the start of the season, some of the young players had asked Helmer why he was still in the AHL, and why he wouldn’t sign [for more money] in Europe.

“I said to them, ‘I still have the dream to get back in the NHL. Not just for myself, but for my kids.’”

Vancouver had traded Helmer to Phoenix, for Martin Grenier, on July 25, 2003. He missed most of the following season – due to a shoulder injury that he had sustained during training camp – but dressed for 17 games in a Coyotes’ uniform – along with 9 in Springfield.

Next, Helmer made a bad decision and signed with the powerhouse Red Wings and languished in Grand Rapids for two campaigns. Then, he signed with Phoenix – once again – in July, 2007, and spent two more seasons in the minors with the San Antonio Rampage.

Helmer’s call up to Washington – for a total of 12 games over this past season – was his first visit back to the Big Tent since his shortened 2003-04 campaign.

What was it like after four plus seasons?

“I think it was my second or third shift, I look up and I see (Alex) Kovalev coming down the wing one-on-one and I’m like, ‘Oh no!’ but I ended up poking the puck away from him, I just enjoyed myself when I was up there. I knew it wasn’t going to be long, so why not enjoy it?”

The highlight of his tenure in Washington, was when his family attended a game – they had driven down from Hershey.

“Playing that first game in front of my family — the rest is just icing on the cake,” Helmer said at the time. “I’m just glad to be up here. I’m trying to do whatever I can to help these guys win. If I’m up here for just one more game or for a bunch, I’m just going to enjoy it.”

Helmer’s 7-year-old son, Cade couldn’t remember seeing his father playing in an NHL uniform.

“He’s always, ‘Dad, are you going to get called up?

I’m like, ‘Well, I’m trying,”‘ Helmer said.

“He understands that I’m older. He’s just glad I’m playing professional hockey.”

I would say, ‘Here, let’s put this tape in and I’ll show you when I played in the NHL.’”

And then his dad went to the Big Tent.

“He was really excited, really pumped,” Helmer said.

“He got to see me live and I got the assist in front of him, too, so that was even better.

He plays on the Junior Bears down in Hershey, and he was bragging to his teammates that his dad was in the NHL. So that’s pretty cool.”

Does Helmer get pumped when he’s back in the NHL?

“Always, every time, for sure,” he said. “It’s almost like the first time you ever got called up: You get the little goose bumps, and you’re excited.”

And, how does he deal with the uncertainty?

“I just go with the flow,” he said. “That’s something I learned over the years, you can’t worry about stuff like that. Other years when I was up and I was on that bubble, you’d sit there and worry every single day, and it doesn’t make it fun. So I’m just enjoying it. I can’t do anything about it. I just relax and enjoy myself. Obviously this is where I want to be, in the NHL, but if it happens it happens. I said at the start when I first got called up that I wasn’t gonna worry about stuff like that, and so far I haven’t.”

Also, the uncertainty of never making it back:

“…the last time I got sent down,” he said, “guys were coming back [rehabbed]. But you know, I made it back up to the NHL. I feel I can still play here. And my family got to see me play, and I think they’ll remember it now. That was my goal. Now, everything else is just icing on the cake. And I’m just taking it one day [at a time] and enjoying it.

“And if it happens, if I get sent back down and I don’t come back up, you know, I’m still gonna be happy. I’m playing hockey for a living. How awesome is that? I love my job and I love coming to the rink. And if it has to be in the minors, it’s gonna be in the minors. If it’s up here, it’s a bonus.”

“I enjoy coming to the rink; I enjoy helping out the young guys and giving them advice,” Helmer said. “I just enjoy what I do, and I don’t want to do anything else.

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Bryan Helmer has had a great season – measured by his criteria.

Now, he’s hoping to win his second Calder Cup in 14 seasons – he won his first in 1995 with Albany, when he was a New Jersey prospect.

That would be more icing on the icing.

And, Canucks’ fans will notice his new style of play.

“…I’ve definitely changed my game,” he said. “Nowadays, the kids are so fast. You have to use your mind. I think I’ve matured mentally from when I was younger. You can’t battle in front of the net anymore. A lot of it is angles, cutting people off from spots where they want to go. It comes naturally, being in all different situations in my career.”

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Q. AND A. WITH BRYAN HELMER