This is some pretty disturbing footage from tonight’s AHL game between the Adirondack Flames and the Rochester Americans. With his team down 5-1 in the third period, Flames forward and former NHL enforcer Trevor Gillies (wearing number 24 in red) engaged in an altercation with Amerks rookie William Carrier. It looks like Carrier wants no part of Gillies from the get-go, but Gillies starts throwing punches anyways until Carrier goes to the ice and turtles to protect himself.
That should have been the end of the skirmish but, instead, that’s when things got very, very ugly. With Carrier down on the ice on all fours, Gillies grabbed the rookie by his jersey, yanked him up and proceeded to slam his helmeted head violently into the ice. It was a disgusting and completely reprehensible act, and Gillies’ is lucky he didn’t seriously injure the 19-year old Carrier.
Regardless, Gillies should be facing a hefty suspension as a result of the incident and, honestly, I’m hoping he doesn’t play another game in the AHL after this. There’s absolutely no place for it, and Rochester’s coach echoes that sentiment:
#Amerks coach Chadd Cassidy on Trevor Gillies’ actions: “If there’s room for that in hockey, I’m not sure I want to coach anymore.”
— Kevin Oklobzija (@kevinoDandC) October 11, 2014
It should also be noted that Gillies was only playing in his second shift of the game, which makes a lot of sense considering he’s a 35-year old who doesn’t possess much skill outside of punching faces and endangering the wellbeing of others on the ice. In 57 career NHL games, Gillies only tallied three points and was most known for this disgusting incident involving Eric Tangradi:
Update: Per league policy, the AHL has announced that Gillies has automatically been suspended one-game for his role as an instigator in the game’s final five minutes. That does not mean he’ll only get one game for his actions, as he is still subject to supplemental discipline pending review of the incident.
Update 2: Gillies has posted an apology on his Facebook page.
Update 3: The AHL has handed down a 12-game suspension to Gillies.
The American Hockey League today announced that Adirondack Flames left wing Trevor Gillies has been suspended for twelve (12) games as a consequence of his actions in a game at Rochester on Oct. 10.
