Martin Gélinas

Martin Gélinas was a hard-working winger nicknamed 'The Eliminator' for scoring goals that eliminated opponents from the playoffs, winning the Stanley Cup with Edmonton in 1990.

Martin Gélinas was born on 5 June 1970 in Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada, and the Los Angeles Kings selected him seventh overall in the 1988 NHL Draft, though he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers as part of the blockbuster deal that sent Wayne Gretzky to Los Angeles, before ever playing a game for the Kings. Gélinas won the Stanley Cup with the Oilers in 1990, and went on to reach the Stanley Cup Final with three further teams across his career, with the Vancouver Canucks in 1994, the Carolina Hurricanes in 2002, and the Calgary Flames in 2004. Gélinas, nicknamed "The Eliminator," tied an NHL record in 2004 by scoring three series-clinching goals in a single playoff run, helping Calgary reach the Finals that year. Gélinas played his final professional season with SC Bern in Switzerland before transitioning into coaching, being named an assistant coach with the Calgary Flames in 2012, and remains one of the most well-travelled players to have reached four separate Stanley Cup Finals with four different franchises.

Gélinas was a versatile left winger known for his strong two-way play and ability to contribute in various situations. He possessed good size and skating ability, making him effective along the boards and in traffic around the net. His hockey intelligence and work ethic made him a valuable role player who could play up and down the lineup.

Gélinas is remembered as a consummate professional who brought consistency and leadership to every team he played for during his lengthy NHL career.

• Stanley Cup champion (1990)
• famed for playoff series-clinching goals with four different franchises