 Gélinas, mumwe wevatambi vakakosha vakauya kuEdmonton mune zvaakazoti kutengeserana kukuru munhoroondo yemitambo, akatsungirira kuongororwa kwenhau dzeCanada uye kumanikidza kwakagadzirwa nevateveri vakatsamwa uye vakaodzwa mwoyo mushure mekunge maOilers atengesa mutambi muGretzky uyo aionekwa sechiratidzo chenyika. Gélinas akatanga mwaka wa1988-89 neOilers uye akaita NHL yake yekutanga uye akawana pfungwa yake yekutanga, pane rubatsiro, musi waGumiguru 7, 1988, kurwisa New York Islanders. Akatora chibodzwa chake chekutanga mazuva gumi gare gare achipesana naJon Casey weMinnesota North Stars asi akadzoserwa kuHull mushure memitambo mitanhatu kuti apedze mwaka wake wechipiri wejunior hockey. Achiita kutanga kwake kwenyika yose, Gélinas akatamba nechikwata cheCanada chenyika yejunior pa1989 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Iye akanyora betsero mbiri mumitambo minomwe nokuda kwevaCanada vechina. 