AHL suspends Trevor Gillies for 12 games

[Drury18]

I'm glad the suspension is considerable and over the 10 game mark, but yea, Flames need to drop this guy completely. He has a lengthy track record of doing this kind of thing, this isn't a one off where he snapped and did something out of character.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by kermitology

His contract should be terminated

How? If contracts could just be terminated, then the Flames should terminate David Jones' contract as well. They could tell him to go home for the rest of the season, but they would have to pay him his full salary. I would be fine with that, but I doubt they could terminate his contract.

[nik-]

I just don't understand what possible benefit they saw in signing this psychopath. Get toughness from somewhere else if it gives you such a hard-on.

[Superfraggle]

Originally Posted by Fire

How? If contracts could just be terminated, then the Flames should terminate David Jones' contract as well. They could tell him to go home for the rest of the season, but they would have to pay him his full salary. I would be fine with that, but I doubt they could terminate his contract.

Gillies has an AHL contract, not an NHL one. I don't know what the AHL rules have to say about it, but Jones is a bad comparable, as it would be covered under the NHL CBA, which has guaranteed contracts.

[Drury18]

I've looked through the AHL CBA (which isn't much frankly) and all I can find is this:

http://www.phpa.com/site/agreements#Term

What is a Standard Player Contract?

In the event a Player shall play in the AHL under other than an NHL contract, the Player and the AHL Club for which he plays shall enter into an AHL Standard Player’s Contract. The AHL Standard Player’s Contract is the agreement between the Team and Player which sets the terms and conditions of employment.

We could hope that possibly, a condition of employment isn't to lose his mind and assault a player in which cause they could terminate the contract for violation of conditions.

Sounds like they could also possibly go to arbitration to reach an agreement to get out of the contract:

What is the Dispute Resolution Process?

Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to the CBA, including the renewal thereof and/or renegotiations for a new Agreement, or the AHL Standard Players Contract, or from the breach of any, shall be resolved by arbitration.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Fire

How? If contracts could just be terminated, then the Flames should terminate David Jones' contract as well. They could tell him to go home for the rest of the season, but they would have to pay him his full salary. I would be fine with that, but I doubt they could terminate his contract.

Breach of conduct would be my guess. Plenty of contracts get terminated.

[ben voyonsdonc]

Sickening behaviour. The sad thing is that it is completely unsurprising. As soon as Gillies was signed, I was sure that it was just a matter of time before he did something like this. What was the brass thinking when they signed this psychopath?

[Calgary4LIfe]

I believe a team can send him home, but would still be on the hook for paying a player that they no longer wanted. IIRC, that was what some teams were going to do with their buyout candidates, and then the PA and NHL met and agreed for an early buyout window. I remember something about Gomez not being sent down, but told to 'go home' and not play hockey.

No idea if the AHL works under a similar idea, but I would assume that the Heat do not have to assign to the NHL, but can just make him a healthy scratch every single game. I just don't think they can terminate his contract.

Suspension was 'ok', but was hoping for a longer time. If the Flames really wanted someone in that role, I am guessing they can find someone else somewhere. Gillies was fairly 'controlled' last season (at least his time on the Heat, not so much in Finland), but he does have a bit of history. Slamming the guy's face into the ice - a non-fighter who didn't want to fight in the first place - was complete lack of self-control and restraint. I am just happy Carrier wasn't hurt much (if at all), as this could have been such an ugly incident.

I think the NHL AND the AHL need to remove players in the league that do not have respect. Cheap shot artists, goons, even relatively skilled players - any player with a history of suspensions resulting from blatant intent to injure that at least goes outside of the rulebook. A 'devastating' open-ice hitter that doesn't blindside and doesn't aim for the head? I guess that is in the rulebook as clean. Keep targeting heads or using elbows while in injuring players? Get him out of the league. Grabbing someone by the head and smashing that head into the ice? Not in the rulebook, and definitely lifetime-suspension worthy.

I wonder if the Flames will retain him and try to work with him, or just not use him any longer. You do have Wolf (who is tough, but probably isn't at the 'enforcer level') and Yonkman (who maybe is at that level), but I really would not like to see Gillies on the team any longer.

Didn't mention Ferland, as though he is a very tough kid, I wouldn't like to see him take on that role in the AHL. He is a top 6 player, and though he will fight, I don't really want him to be the enforcer per se - just a guy who will stand up for his line mates when needed, but not a guy the team sends out there to make a statement/energy/whatever reason you send out an enforcer.

[madmike]

The organization should release him. It's an embarrassment that he's employed by the Flames.

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by ben voyonsdonc

Sickening behaviour. The sad thing is that it is completely unsurprising. As soon as Gillies was signed, I was sure that it was just a matter of time before he did something like this. What was the brass thinking when they signed this psychopath?

Signing this kind of player in the first place is a black mark against the organization. Shame on the Flames.

[The Fonz]

I've always looked down on management teams that employ Matt Cooke, due to his history and probability that he'll repeat.... and here we have a guy who is just as bad. Actually much worse, if you were to go incidents per pro games played.

[Arya Stark]

The Flames should just send him home and pay his remaining salary, which is peanuts.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

I've always looked down on management teams that employ Matt Cooke, due to his history and probability that he'll repeat.... and here we have a guy who is just as bad. Actually much worse, if you were to go incidents per pro games played.

The thing is, a lot of teams in various leagues, both in North America and Europe, seem to be giving this guy chance after chance.

I don't get it.

Disgusting to see him slam a player's head into the ice like that. That crosses the line from hockey related to fighting to assault.

[CaptainCrunch]

I don't know if you can simply release him. But it would be worth the price to just send him home for the rest of the year and let his contract expire.

I'm old school and all about tough hockey, but banging a guys head off the ice like that is unforgivable.

The only thing that I hate just as bad is players throwing punches while a player is defenseless on the ice or tied up by an official.

[puckedoff]

Embarassing to the team. For shame Gillies.