Providence's Gillies Signs with Flames

Jon Gillies went out on top in the college game. Now he’ll try his hand in the NHL starting next season.

The Providence College junior goaltender, who backstopped the Friars to their first-ever national championship this season, has apparently signed with the Calgary Flames, who drafted him in the third round (75th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, according to the Calgary Sun.

Gillies made 49 saves in Providence’s 4-3 NCAA title game victory over Hockey East rival Boston University at TD Garden in Boston on April 11. It was the first national title game the Friars had appeared in since 1985, when they fell to Rensselaer in Detroit. Gillies had earlier guided the Friars to NCAA Tournament wins this spring over Miami (Ohio), Denver and (Nebraska) Omaha, and was ultimately named the NCAA’s Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player following the championship game win over BU.

A three-year starter at Providence, Gillies had originally committed to Northeastern University while playing for the Indiana Ice of the United States Hockey League. He compiled a record of 46-17-11 with six shutouts in two junior ‘A’ seasons with the Ice, according to hockeydb.com.

A 6-foot-5, 215-pound native of South Portland, Maine, Gillies, 21, spent the last three seasons backstopping the Friars, with whom he went 24-13-2 with a 2.01 goals-against average and .930 save percentage and five shutouts in 39 appearances. He finished in the top 10 in the nation in both GAA and save percentage this year, according to USCHO.com, and completed his college career with a 60-34-13 record in 108 outings (2.01, .938, 15 SO).