Tuhia he tomokanga mo tenei whitianga - I takaro a Gillies i te hockey o te whare wānanga me te Providence Friars i te huihuinga NCAA Men's Division I Hockey East. I tana tau tuatahi, i whakawhiwhia ki a Gillies te taakaro tino pai ki te kowhiringa ki te 2012<unk>13 All-Hockey East First Team. Ko ia te kaitiaki kaitiaki mo te United States i te 2014 World Juniors
I tākaro ia i ia meneti o te whakataetae, engari kāore i riro i a ia he mētara. I roto i tana wa rangatahi, i arahi a Gillies i nga Friars ki te taitara NCAA, i tohua ko te Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player.