Background
Helstad was born in Hamar, and started his career in his local club Florida Fart where heat age of 16 scored two goals against Løten in 1993 that made the team win promotion to 3.
Helstad was born in Hamar, and started his career in his local club Florida Fart where heat age of 16 scored two goals against Løten in 1993 that made the team win promotion to 3.
Divisjon. He transferred to the local Norwegian First Division side HamKam, at the age of 18, and played for the club between 1995 and 1997. Helstad joined the Tippeligaen side Brann ahead of the 1998 season. After scoring 14 goals in 69 matches for the Austrian side, Helstad returned to Norway where he signed a four-year deal with Rosenborg.
With Steffen Iversen as the preferred striker, Helstad never managed to gain a regular spot in the first squad, but was often used a winger in a 4–3–3 system.
After scoring 24 goals in 58 matches, Helstad returned to Brann in June 2006. In July, 2008, Brann accepted a €2 million bid for Helstad from French club Le Mans, where he was installed as their starting striker.
Helstad scored 21 goals last season. In June, 2011, Helstad made a free transfer move to recently relegated and former Champions League finalist Monaco.