Solar Bears re-sign Gillies

Action photo of Jon Gillies of the Orlando Solar Bears

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Solar Bears, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning, announced that the team has re-signed goaltender Jon Gillies for the 2025-26 season.

Gillies, 31, returns to Orlando after joining the team late in the 2024-25 season via trade from the Cincinnati Cyclones. Gillies appeared in seven regular-season games and started the bulk of the Solar Bears Kelly Cup Playoff games, being a key contributor to the upset of the Brabham Cup Champion South Carolina Stingrays in the seven-game, first round series. With his 22-save shutout of the Stingrays in Game 7, Gillies became just the fourth Solar Bears goaltender to earn a playoff shutout in team history joining Evan Fitzpatrick (2024), Cal Heeter (2018), and Maxime Clermont (2015).

The Concord, New Hampshire native has appeared in 35 NHL games in his career with the Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues, New Jersey Devils and Columbus Blue Jackets. Gillies has logged 239 professional games over nine seasons across the NHL, AHL and ECHL.

Prior to turning pro, Gillies starred at Providence College, where he backstopped the Friars to their first ever NCAA Men's Hockey National Championship in 2015 and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Frozen Four. A third-round draft selection (75th overall) of Calgary in 2012, Gillies also earned Hockey East Rookie of the Year and Second Team All-American honors during his collegiate career.