Nashville, Tenn. –
Nashville Predators Executive Vice President/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with free-agent forward
Martin Gelinas (MAHR-tihn ZHEHL-ih-nuh).
Gelinas, 37 (6/5/70), appeared in all 82 games for the
Florida Panthers in each of the last two seasons and he notched 44 points (14g-30a) in 2006-07. The 5-11, 202-pound winger recorded his 600th NHL point (assist) this past season on Oct. 21 at Atlanta and scored his 300th career NHL goal on April 7 at Carolina.
A native of Shawinigan, Quebec, Gelinas has posted 300 goals and 340 assists (300g-340a-640pts) in 1,216 games over 18 NHL seasons (1988-2007) with Edmonton, Quebec, Vancouver, Carolina, Calgary and Florida. He captured the Stanley Cup with Edmonton following his first full NHL season (1989-90) and has returned to the Finals three times – in 1994 with Vancouver, 2002 with Carolina and 2004 with Calgary. His top offensive season came in 1996-97 with the Canucks when he registered 35 goals and 33 assists (35g-33a-68pts).
Gelinas was originally the
Los Angeles Kings’ first choice (seventh overall) in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, but was subsequently traded by L.A. to Edmonton in the package for Wayne Gretzky on Aug. 9, 1988. His contract will pay him $1.25 million in 2007-08.