Darren Helm injury: Red Wings forward may have a broken jaw after taking puck to face

Darren Helm left a players-run practice with a bloody mouth on Friday after defenseman Ian White deflected a puck that hit the Red Wings forward in the face and may have caused a broken jaw, according to a report from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. While Helm didn't speak with the media after the practice, teammate Danny Cleary briefed St. James on his thoughts of the injury:

"He's got, I'm guessing, 8-10 stitches, for sure," Cleary said.

Helm, 25, was cut on the right forearm in the first shift of Game 1 of the first series for the Red Wings of the 2011-12 playoffs against the Nashville Predators and never returned to postseason play. In each of the last five seasons for the Red Wings, Helm has played in 248 games with the Red Wings and tallied 32 goals and 51 assists.

The Red Wings and Helm agreed to a four-year extension to his contract following the 2011-12 season worth $8.5 million.