page_title: Martin Gélinas
section_title: Edmonton, Vancouver and Carolina
hierarchical_section_title: Martin Gélinas / Playing career / Edmonton, Vancouver and Carolina
caption_attribution_description: English: Former NHL players Martin Gelinas (left, white) and Craig Conroy (right, red) talk during a stoppage in play during the alumni game at the 2011 Heritage Classic in Calgary.
context_page_description: Martin Gélinas is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played 1,273 games in the National Hockey League for the Edmonton Oilers, Quebec Nordiques, Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers and Nashville Predators. A first round selection of the Los Angeles Kings at the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, Gélinas was sent to the Oilers as part of the 1988 Wayne Gretzky trade before ever playing a game for the Kings.
  Gélinas reached the Stanley Cup finals with four teams. He was a member of Edmonton's 1990 championship team and also reached the final in 1994 with Vancouver, 2002 with Carolina and 2004 with Calgary. He tied a record in 2004 by scoring three series-winning goals in one playoff year, earning the nickname "The Eliminator". After playing his final professional season with SC Bern in the Swiss National League A, Gélinas turned to coaching and player development. He was named an assistant coach with the Calgary Flames in 2012.
context_section_description: Joining the Oilers full-time in 1989–90, Gélinas recorded 25 points in 46 games. At the age of 19, he was a member of Edmonton's "Kid Line" playing alongside 22-year-olds Joe Murphy and Adam Graves.  The trio provided an offensive boost in the post-season as the Oilers reached the 1990 Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins. Edmonton won the best-of-seven championship series four games to one and captured the Stanley Cup. After recording 40 points in 1990–91, Gélinas scored only 29 points the following season. The Quebec Nordiques, who had been criticized by local fans and media for failing to select Gélinas at the 1988 draft, attempted to acquire him in exchange for Bryan Fogarty. The deal failed to materialize and Gélinas remained with the Oilers for the 1992–93 season where his offensive production again declined, to 23 points.
  The Nordiques finally acquired Gélinas on June 20, 1993, in exchange for Scott Pearson. He lasted only 31 games with Quebec before being placed on waivers and claimed by the Vancouver Canucks. After scoring 16 points in 33 games to end the 1993–94 regular season with Vancouver, Gélinas added nine points in 24 playoff games. The Canucks reached the 1994 Stanley Cup Final but were defeated in seven games by the New York Rangers. In the lockout-shortened 1994–95 season, he scored 23 points in 46 games and won his first of two consecutive Fred J. Hume Awards as Vancouver's "unsung hero". Gélinas finally achieved the offensive production expected of him when he was drafted by recording consecutive 30-goal seasons. He scored 30 goals in 1995–96 and led the Canucks with 35 goals, was second to Alexander Mogilny with 68 points and recorded a four-goal game against the Phoenix Coyotes in 1996–97. He won three team awards: The Cyclone Taylor Award as Vancouver's most valuable player, the Molson Cup for earning the most three star selections and the Most Exciting Player Award.
  A collision with Edmonton's Dan McGillis early in the 1997–98 season forced Gélinas out of the lineup with a sprained knee. He missed 16 games due to the injury and had only eight points in 24 games played. His tenure with the Canucks ended January 3, 1998. He was traded, along with Kirk McLean to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Sean Burke, Geoff Sanderson and Enrico Ciccone. Gélinas was added to Carolina's roster to add a physical presence to the team and improve the team at both ends of the ice. He finished the season with 24 points in 40 games with the Hurricanes, and was invited to join Team Canada for the 1998 World Championship. Gélinas scored one goal for the sixth-place Canadians.
  Placed in a defensive role, Gélinas's offensive statistics fell to 28 points in 1998–99 and 30 in 1999–2000. The Hurricanes placed him on waivers late in the latter season, but remained with the team after he went unclaimed. His teammates expressed relief that he hadn't been moved the following season as, after improving to 59 points, Gélinas scored the game-winning goal to clinch a playoff spot for Carolina. He recorded only one assist in six post-season games, then accepted a lessened role with the Hurricanes as he was placed on the third line in 2001–02.  Gélinas led the Hurricanes to their first Stanley Cup Final in franchise history after scoring the overtime-winning goal in the sixth game of the Eastern Conference final to eliminate the Toronto Maple Leafs. Carolina fell to the Detroit Red Wings in five games in the 2002 Stanley Cup Final.
caption: Gelinas (left) talks with former teammate Craig Conroy during the alumni game at the 2011 Heritage Classic.
exif: {}