Gillies, 29, has gone 7-15-3 with a 3.31 goals-against average and .893 save percentage in 32 career NHL games with the Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues and New Jersey Devils from 2016-22. He appeared in a career-high 20 games in 2021-22 and posted a 3-10-2 record, 3.70 GAA and .887 SV% with St. Louis and New Jersey, including 3-10-1, 3.76 GAA and .885 SV% in 19 outings with the Devils.
"This move provides us with some organizational goaltending depth for the remainder of the season and flexibility from a salary cap standpoint to improve our team moving forward," said Kekalainen.
A 6-6, 223-pound netminder was selected by Calgary in the third round, 75th overall, at the 2012 NHL Draft. This season, he has gone 5-8-2 with a 3.70 GAA and .878 SV% in 15 games with the American Hockey League's Tucson Roadrunners. In 184 career AHL games, Gillies has gone 78-71-22 with a 2.94 GAA, .904 SV% and nine shutouts since making his professional debut during the 2015-16 season.
The Concord, New Hampshire native played three seasons at Providence College from 2012-15. He went 60-34-13 with a 2.08 GAA, .931 SV% and 13 shutouts in 108 career games. He was a two-time NCAA East Second Team All-American and Hockey East First Team All-Star and was named the NCAA Tournament Most Valuable Player after leading the Friars to the 2015 national championship. He also represented Team USA at the 2013 and 2014 World Junior Championships, winning a gold medal in 2013.
Voracek, 33, collected one goal and five assists for six points in 11 outings this season before being sidelined due to a concussion suffered in a game vs. Colorado in Tampere, Finland on November 4. The Kladno, Czechia native has registered 223-583-806 and 525 PIM in 1,058 career NHL games with the Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers since being selected by Columbus in the first round, seventh overall, at the 2007 NHL Draft. The 6-2, 216-pound winger has posted 46-156-202 and 140 PIM in 331 career games over two stints with Columbus and led the club in assists and points a year ago with 6-56-62 in 79 outings.
The Blue Jackets return to action on Friday when they host the Seattle Kraken. Game time from Nationwide Arena is 7 p.m. ET. Live coverage on Bally Sports Ohio begins with the Blue Jackets Live pre-game show starting at 6:30 p.m. The game can also be heard on the Blue Jackets Radio Network, including Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com.
