Gillies had already booked a flight to Detroit before being called up:
Quote:
On Saturday, they learned a former teammate at Providence College had died after a lengthy battle with cancer.
On Tuesday, they gathered to celebrate Drew Brown’s life in Grass Lake, Mich.
...
It just so happens that when Smith was injured in Monday’s opening period against the Blues, he already had a flight booked from California to Detroit.
He arrived before sunrise Tuesday, made the hour-plus drive to Grass Lake for Brown’s funeral service and met the Flames later that day at a hotel in the Motor City.
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http://calgarysun.com/sports/hockey/...tional-stretch
I had actually wondered if his funeral might have been a reason why they called up Gillies, but then I saw they were playing in Detroit. Didn't realize Brown's funeral was actually in Michigan.