Éric Gélinas

Éric Gélinas
Born (1991-05-08) May 8, 1991
Vanier, ON, CAN
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
NHL team 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 New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by New Jersey 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 the 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 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] He scored his first NHL goal on October 24, 2013, against Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks.

Following the 2014–15 NHL 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]

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] The family is unrelated to former NHL player Martin Gélinas.

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 — — — — —
NHL totals 122 13 35 48 64 — — — — —

References

  1. ↑ Les Gélinas grandissent toujours, lapresse.ca, December 4, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2014. (French)
  2. 1 2 Gelinas, Eric - 2014 NHL Draft Prospects
  3. ↑ Sea Dogs Acquire Top-Flight Defenseman
  4. ↑ Fire & Ice - Gelinas believes Memorial Cup experience helped his development
  5. ↑ Eric Gelinas, Devils - Notes - NHL.com - Players
  6. ↑ Gelinas aims for NHL debut - New Jersey Devils - News
  7. ↑ Devils recall Harri Pesonen, Eric Gelinas, Mike Sislo from Albany (AHL) | NJ.com
  8. ↑ Devils rookie Eric Gelinas will make NHL debut against Penguins | NJ.com
  9. ↑ http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=773987

External links

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