Four fun facts about Edmonton Oilers new addition Adam Henrique

While it was a great night for Henrique, he received some unfortunate news a couple of days later when he was informed that he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks. Still, he continued to raise money for the Movember movement after that and in total, he has raised over $60,000 for the cause

Henrique Was a Calder Trophy Finalist with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Henrique was drafted by the Devils in the third round in 2008 but didn’t become a full-time NHLer until the 2011-2012 campaign. He had a stellar first season and played in all situations, eventually earning a spot on the top line where he centered star players, Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise. He finished with 51 points in 74 games, leading all rookies that season in shorthanded goals (four) and finished third in rookie scoring.

Over in Oil Country, there was another rookie sensation, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who was having a tremendous season with the Oilers. He recorded a hat trick in only his third game and became the first 18-year-old in NHL history to tally five assists in a single game. He finished with 52 points, but an injury cut his season short. Nevertheless, his 0.84 points-per-game (PPG) was the highest among rookies.

As a result, both of the current Oilers were finalists for the Calder Trophy in 2012 – awarded to the player selected as most proficient in his first year of competition, voted on by members of the PHWA. However, Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche was crowned the winner, as he led his team in goals (22), finishing with 52 points.

That said, if voters were able to include playoff performances in their decision-making, Henrique would’ve improved his odds. He tied a rookie record for most game-winning goals in a playoff season, scoring in Game 7 in double overtime in the opening round. He also netted the OT winner in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals and scored the winner again in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals. With that in mind, his previous track record of scoring in critical moments could be a huge advantage for the Oilers this upcoming postseason.

Henrique Views Zach Parise as a Reason for His Success

As mentioned, in his rookie season, he moved up onto the top line with then Devils’ captain Parise, and two-time 50-goal scorer, Kovalchuk. At the time, Parise stated that he enjoyed playing alongside Henrique because they were similar players — both were grinders who liked to cycle with crisp passes.

Recently, Henrique was on the “Oilers Now“ show where he mentioned that he’s at a point in his career where he welcomes the idea of a leadership role. When asked about who he looked up to for guidance, he mentioned:

“Zach Parise was a big influence on me, and just a guy on the ice that is relentless, and it certainly meant a lot to me in my career and really where my career went.”

The 39-year-old Parise recently signed with the Avalanche, recording seven points in 15 games and if Henrique follows in the footsteps of his mentor, it could indicate he’ll also remain productive as he gets older as well.

Henrique also mentioned, “I try to show the young guys what it takes every day to be an NHL player and continue to improve because you have to keep growing as the game changes year in and year out.” That said, it seems Edmonton not only acquired a skilled player on the ice but also acquired a leader from whom the younger Oilers can learn from.

Henrique Captained Team Canada to a Gold Medal

Henrique has suited up for Team Canada on three occasions, winning silver medals at both the 2010 World Junior Championships and the 2019 World Championships. Yet, in 2021, he was selected as captain of Team Canada at the World Championships.

The team had only a handful of NHL veterans, one of them being current Oilers’ teammate Connor Brown and also Calgary Flames’ Andrew Mangiapane. Despite getting off to a rocky start, going 0-3 in their first three games, they prevailed in the remaining games with big performances from the trio of Henrique, Brown and Mangiapane, to capture the gold medal.

Henrique was instrumental in all facets of the game for his team. He played a key role on the penalty kill, where the team only allowed two shorthanded goals all tournament. That said, Canada’s captain was outstanding offensively as well, tallying six goals and 11 points in ten games, finishing third in points.

Moreover, he scored what was likely one of the biggest goals of his career when Team Canada was down a goal in the gold medal game. He forced overtime by scoring with just over seven minutes left in the third period. Ultimately, Canada defeated Finland 3-2, winning in overtime, when Nick Paul finished off a 2-on-1 chance with a nice feed by Brown.

Overall, Henrique is still adjusting to his new team, but he’ll become more comfortable while donning the orange and blue, with each passing game. By all accounts, it appears the team not only picked up a versatile player who will be a key asset for the playoff push but also a stand-up guy off the ice as well.