Joined by Rocco from Isles House, we remember enforcer Trevor Gillies, who was a much more complex individual than his monstrous reputation would suggest.
Trevor Gillies had spent a decade in the minors fighting across North America before he finally got regular NHL playing time for a young Islanders team that needed a lot of protection. While his toughness and fearlessness instantly made him a fan favorite, those same qualities – plus one very scary image in one of the craziest melees in NHL history
– made him a villain to outsiders. Getting two long suspensions in short order for two questionable actions made his time on Long Island brief. But he left a lasting impression upon those who both watched and played with him that’s only grown over time.
Rocco tells us how Gillies became one of his favorite Islanders fighters of all time, how he appreciated his list of bouts against combatants of various sizes and how Fight Night 2011 against the Penguins and its many storylines created a bond with that era that won’t be broken anytime soon. In addition to the degree of “heavy metal” Gillies brought to the Islanders, we also marvel at his insane ECHL stats, some of his former teammates and, of course, his glorious mustache.
Huge thanks again to Rocco for coming on and sharing his stories and his pizza tips. You should already be listening to him and previous Weird Islanders guests Jack and Ethan on the Isles House podcast. Or stop by Cafe Dolce Vita in either Jericho and Deer Park, grab a slice and say hello.
WEIRD BONUS MATERIAL
- After 10 years in the minors, one game with Anaheim and 50 games with Bridgeport, Gillies established himself as the Islanders Enforcer of The Future in 2010.
- Shockingly, he has lots of fights on YouTube! Here’s Gillies versus mouth-breathing dipshit idiot caveman Paul Bissonnette:
- Gillies versus the late Derek Boogaard (RIP). Our boy lands on top but takes a lot of punishment:
- Gillies versus another podcaster, Cam Janssen.
- Gillies versus fellow Weird Islander Matt Carkner.
- Gillies versus Rangers hemorrhoid Brandon Prust:
- Gillies vessus another fellow Weird Islander Mike Rupp
- Then there was Fight Night. His most infamous altercation was against the Penguins on Feb. 11, 2011. Gillies pummeled Pittsburgh’s Eric Tangredi and looked to be taunting him from the tunnel. But that’s not really what happened.
- The Pittsburgh broadcast crew wasn’t happy.
- After serving a nine game suspension for that game, Gillies put a high hit on Minnesota’s Cal Clutterbuck and got another 10 game suspension.
- The back-to-back ugly incidents with Tangredi and Clutterbuck made Gillies the NHL’s Public Enemy No. 1. There were more calls to throw him out of hockey from more people than we can count.
- Despite that reputation (or perhaps because of it), the Islanders re-signed Gillies in the summer of 2011.
- Many saw the man for the complex person he is (and we all are). He had a job and did it. It turns out, he wasn’t an unrepentant killing machine. He could even be an inspiration. But by all accounts, he was also a great teammate. Here are two heartwarming videos: one is some friendly competition between he and, another Weird Islander, Kirill Kabanov.
- And here’s Trevor and his dad Murray and their bad ass mustaches (Murray’s was first)
- Believe it or not, Gillies even scored a goal for the Islanders. A nice one, too:
- That said, the suspensions kept coming as his hockey career continued beyond Long Island.
- Gillies still loves talking about the old days and has a great sense of humor about his hockey career. You might even see him at an Islanders game!
What makes a “Weird Islander?”
We’re always open to suggestions about other Weird Islanders to discuss. Remember the criteria. Candidates must fulfill one of the two of the following:
- Played one (1) season or less for the Islanders or very short stints over multiple seasons.
- Be a veteran NHLer who is not generally associated with his time on Islanders.
Subscribe to our Patreon! Members get ad-free episodes of all our shows, bonus podcasts, written posts, chats with us and much more.
Visit our friends!
- Vintage Ice Hockey for t-shirts, hoodies and jerseys featuring hundreds of classic hockey logos, as well as Islanders Anxiety merch, and our Al Arbour and The Island shirts. Our portion of the sales benefit the Center for Dementia Research. Use the code ANXIETY20 to save 20% off an order of two items.
- The Pinot Project has Rosé, Pinot Grigio and a Pinot Noir that was named a 2024 Top 100 Best Buy by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. All are under $15 a bottle and are available at local wine shops and at UBS Arena.
- Islanders Anxiety podcasts are part of the Fans First Sports Network (@FansFirstSN).
- Theme song: “Knuckles” by Björn Falk. Hear more of his music on Spotify and at Bandcamp.
- Drum sfx via Zapsplat.com. Jingle bell sfx also via ZapSplat.
Please subscribe, download, rate, review or spread the word about Islanders Anxiety, Weird Islanders: The Podcast! and all of our podcasts any way you can. All of it helps to raise the show’s profile and maybe could get us another fancy sponsor to sell out to in the near future. Leave us a five star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
All Islanders Anxiety podcasts are available on:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- Amazon Music
- Audible.com
- I Heart Radio
- YouTube and YouTube Music
- And everywhere podcasts are found
