Paul Gillis
Encyclopedia
Paul Gillis is a retired Canadian ice hockey
forward
.
Gillis started his National Hockey League
career with the Quebec Nordiques
in 1983. He also played for the Chicago Blackhawks
and Hartford Whalers
. He left the NHL after the 1993 season.
In the spring of 2007, Gillis was named as just the third head coach in the Jackalopes 12-year history, and his impact was immediate. With his 11 years of experience as an NHL player and 14 years experience as a coach, Gillis led the Jackalopes back to the CHL postseason after the team missed out entirely in the 2006–07 campaign.
Gillis began his coaching career with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL in 1994–95
, following by two years as head coach of the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL. Gillis then led the Quad City Mallards to a UHL championship in 1997–98 with a remarkable 55-18-1 regular-season record. After a brief stint back in the OHL, Gillis returned to the UHL as head coach of the New Haven Knights for two years then returned to Quad City where he would guide the Mallards to the UHL finals again in 2002–03. He moved on to the Danbury Trashers and in 2005–06 made his third trip to the UHL finals, before coaching the Elmira Jackals for the final 28 games of the 2006–07 season.
In 14 years as a coach, Gillis has finished with a winning record 10 times. Before his first season in Odessa, the Jackalopes had missed the playoffs in three of the previous four years. That changed under Gillis, as Odessa reached the Conference Semifinals in last year’s CHL Playoffs.
He is currently the head coach of the Odessa Jackalopes
.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
forward
Forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
.
Gillis started his National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
career with the Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
in 1983. He also played for the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
and Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
. He left the NHL after the 1993 season.
In the spring of 2007, Gillis was named as just the third head coach in the Jackalopes 12-year history, and his impact was immediate. With his 11 years of experience as an NHL player and 14 years experience as a coach, Gillis led the Jackalopes back to the CHL postseason after the team missed out entirely in the 2006–07 campaign.
Gillis began his coaching career with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL in 1994–95
1994–95 AHL season
The 1994–95 AHL season was the 59th season of the American Hockey League. The All-Star Game is revived, with All-Stars grouped into "Team Canada" and "Team USA." Sixteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule...
, following by two years as head coach of the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL. Gillis then led the Quad City Mallards to a UHL championship in 1997–98 with a remarkable 55-18-1 regular-season record. After a brief stint back in the OHL, Gillis returned to the UHL as head coach of the New Haven Knights for two years then returned to Quad City where he would guide the Mallards to the UHL finals again in 2002–03. He moved on to the Danbury Trashers and in 2005–06 made his third trip to the UHL finals, before coaching the Elmira Jackals for the final 28 games of the 2006–07 season.
In 14 years as a coach, Gillis has finished with a winning record 10 times. Before his first season in Odessa, the Jackalopes had missed the playoffs in three of the previous four years. That changed under Gillis, as Odessa reached the Conference Semifinals in last year’s CHL Playoffs.
He is currently the head coach of the Odessa Jackalopes
Odessa Jackalopes
The Odessa Jackalopes were a minor professional ice hockey team based in Odessa, Texas. The team played in the Central Hockey League , and was an affiliate of the New York Islanders...
.