Éric Gélinas

Éric Gélinas
Born (1991-05-08) May 8, 1991
Vanier, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Colorado Avalanche
New Jersey Devils
NHL Draft 54th overall, 2009
New Jersey Devils
Playing career 2011–present

Éric Gélinas[1] (born May 8, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the second round, 54th overall, at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Amateur

Gélinas began playing ice hockey at the age of four, and modelled his game after Chris Pronger, from whom he took the jersey number 44. At the major junior level, Gélinas played two seasons for the now-defunct Lewiston Maineiacs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), and in 2008–09 led team defencemen in points, registering ten goals and 29 assists in 67 games. He also participated in the 2009 CHL Top Prospects Game.[2] At the end of the season, on June 26, 2009, he was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the second round, 54th overall, at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Following the Maineiacs' folding in 2011, Gélinas played one-and-a-half seasons for the Chicoutimi Saguenéens before eventually being traded to the Saint John Sea Dogs.[3] He was then part of the Sea Dogs team that won the 2011 Memorial Cup, defeating the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors in the final.[4]

Professional

Upon finishing his major junior career, Gélinas was assigned to the Albany Devils, New Jersey's affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL). He played in 75 games during the 2011–12 season, tying the AHL lead in goals by a defenceman with 16, while being named top Albany defenceman and finishing 16th overall in the League in points for a defenceman, with 37.[5]

In the following season, 2012–13, Gélinas missed nearly two months of action after taking a puck in the mouth during Albany's final pre-season game at the Binghamton Senators on October 6, 2012; the impact left him with a broken lower jaw. After returning from the injury, Gélinas played 57 games, scoring six goals and 16 assists for 22 points.[6]

On April 23, 2013, Gélinas was called up from Albany to join the New Jersey Devils.[7] He made his NHL debut at the Devils' last home game of the 2012–13 season against the Pittsburgh Penguins.[8] In the 2013–14 season, he scored his first NHL goal on October 24, 2013, against Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks.

Following the 2014–15 season, Gélinas became a restricted free agent under the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement. The New Jersey Devils made him a qualifying offer to retain his NHL rights and, on July 5, 2015, Gélinas filed for salary arbitration.[9]

In the 2015–16 season, Gélinas was traded at the trade deadline to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a 2017 3rd-round pick on February 29, 2016.[10]

Personal

Gélinas' father, Marc Gélinas, as well as his older brother, Karl, both played baseball. Marc was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates at the 1978 MLB Draft, and Karl, currently playing for the CanAm League's Québec Capitales, was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at the 2003 MLB Draft.[2]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2007–08 Lewiston MAINEiacs QMJHL 54 3 16 19 34 5 0 0 0 2
2008–09 Lewiston MAINEiacs QMJHL 67 10 29 39 80 4 0 1 1 12
2009–10 Lewiston MAINEiacs QMJHL 33 3 16 19 33 — — — — —
2009–10 Chicoutimi Saguenéens QMJHL 28 3 9 12 26 6 1 4 5 6
2010–11 Chicoutimi Saguenéens QMJHL 35 9 15 24 41 — — — — —
2010–11 Saint John Sea Dogs QMJHL 27 3 17 20 26 19 5 7 12 25
2011–12 Albany Devils AHL 75 16 21 37 55 — — — — —
2012–13 Albany Devils AHL 57 6 16 22 46 — — — — —
2012–13 New Jersey Devils NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2013–14 Albany Devils AHL 13 1 4 5 10 4 0 1 1 0
2013–14 New Jersey Devils NHL 60 7 22 29 22 — — — — —
2014–15 New Jersey Devils NHL 61 6 13 19 42 — — — — —
2015–16 New Jersey Devils NHL 34 1 5 6 16 — — — — —
2015–16 Colorado Avalanche NHL 6 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
NHL totals 162 14 40 54 80 — — — — —

References

  1. ↑ "Gélinas still growing" (in French). lapresse.ca. 2013-12-04. Retrieved 2014-02-26.
  2. 1 2 "Gelinas, Eric - 2014 NHL Draft Prospects". National Hockey League. 2014-05-02. Retrieved 2014-05-02.
  3. ↑ "Sea Dogs Acquire Top-Flight Defenseman". Saint John Sea Dogs. 2011-01-15. Retrieved 2015-04-02.
  4. ↑ "Fire & Ice - Gelinas believes Memorial Cup experience helped his development". NorthJersey.com. 2012-05-06. Retrieved 2012-05-06.
  5. ↑ "Eric Gelinas, Devils - Notes". National Hockey League. 2012-10-02. Retrieved 2012-10-02.
  6. ↑ "Gelinas aims for NHL debut". New Jersey Devils. 2013-04-23. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
  7. ↑ "Devils recall Harri Pesonen, Eric Gelinas, Mike Sislo from Albany (AHL)". NJ.com. 2013-04-23. Retrieved 2013-04-23.
  8. ↑ "Devils rookie Eric Gelinas will make NHL debut against Penguins". NJ.com. 2013-04-23. Retrieved 2013-04-23.
  9. ↑ "Four players file for Arbitration". National Hockey League. 2015-07-05. Retrieved 2015-07-05.
  10. ↑ "Devils trade Eric Gelinas to Avalanche for pick". Sportsnet.ca. 2016-02-29. Retrieved 2016-02-29.
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