I don't know that a trio of modern DDs will have a major impact, unless one or two happen to be with Yorktown at Midway and deters I-168 from making her attack. Similarly, if additional destroyers are with Wasp, perhaps one would deter I-19, but either case would require the additional DD to be in the right place at exactly the right time.
Helena is a major factor, but in the other direction, because her damage at Pearl Harbor allowed her to be updated, IIRC bringing some of the first 40mm Bofors to the Pacific, and more importantly, SG radar (surface), SC radar (air) and FD radar (fire direction). Without that update, Helena might well be as ineffective as any other cruiser off Guadalcanal. Her SG radar picked up the Japanese at over 27,700 yards at Cape Esperance, and 27,100 yards at First Guadalcanal.
My initial thoughts,