Despite pretty decent minor league numbers this season, Gillies has been tossed around. He's played at least one game for four clubs this season, in the ECHL, the AHL, and the NHL.
One game with St. Louis this season, a 36-save performance against Anaheim, may have been the moment that slammed the breaks on the runaway train that was Gillies' recent hockey journey.
"It kind of changed my perspective back to really enjoying the game of hockey and stuff like that," said Gillies. "And then to be able to go back with St. Louis and be able to play a game this year and remind myself that I can do it. Obviously, a lot of things I can improve on and get better at, but you just need that one game to at least show yourself or anyone else that you still got it. So that was really, really nice to have."
And now, Gillies finds himself with a new and less blurry path laid out in front of him. It's an opportunity with the New Jersey Devils, following his trade to the club on Wednesday.
"I'm really looking forward to the opportunity and really, really looking forward to running with it," he said.
More than anything, a chance in New Jersey can be a mental cleanser for the goaltender.
"There are a lot tougher things that can go on than to not be where you want to be in the game of hockey," Gillies said. "So for me personally, I've had a lot of events with stuff much bigger than hockey that have been able to help me form a pretty decent perspective on things like that. But it's hard. It's like anything else where it can really suck when you're in it. And honestly, this is an opportunity that I'm really excited for… it's just really nice to be in a place where I have a nice challenge in front of me and a place to grow and just an opportunity to be able to try and grab a hold of [my career]."
Gillies' stick with it attitude is just one thing the Devils admire about the goaltender.
"Perseverance," Devils goalie coach Dave Rogaslki said. "He's been in every level of pro hockey. He's a worker, and that's allowed progression over his career, whether it's physical, mental, or general maturation. He enjoys being on the ice and wants to work on his game, it's important to enjoy that part of the game to be successful."
As for what type of goaltender the Devils will be getting, Gillies had some thoughts of his own.
"I really like to play the puck and I really like to, as much as possible, keep my defense from being hit because they take very good care of us as goalies, so I try to return the favor in any way I can. And I'm obviously a big guy but I like to think I move well for my size. My parents made sure I played a lot of other sports growing up besides hockey so I am decently athletic and not overly technical. Just try to stop the puck no matter what and that's really what it comes down to."
The Devils are in desperate need of goalie stability. It's clear they want Mackenzie Blackwood to take the reins and run with them as the starter, but behind Blackwood, it has been a carousel of sorts this season. Jonathan Bernier was tasked with competing with Blackwood and being that first in relief player, but a hip injury has sidelined him indefinitely. Nico Daws, Scott Wedgewood [now with Arizona], and Akira Schmid have all played in at least two games behind Blackwood.
But not one of them has taken hold of that next-man-up spot for the long-term. What was once a blurry path is now clear for Gillies. When he gets the chance to step in, he'll control his own fate, something which has been out of his hands for a while but is now in front of him.
With the Devils heading into a weekend back-to-back, it's likely we see Gillies at some point either in Detroit or back home against Pittsburgh.
