Defender Gillam Earns His Wings Chiefs Star Part Of Youth Drive, Signs $1.2 Million Contact

Sean Gillam’s next bank deposit is the first hard evidence that the Detroit Red Wings are serious about getting younger.

Three days after they were eliminated in the National Hockey League Western Conference finals, the Red Wings on Saturday agreed to terms with Gillam, a key to the Spokane Chiefs’ rise to the Western Hockey League West Division championship.

Gillam, who turned 20 a month ago, received a $250,000 signing bonus. If the 6-foot-2, 204-pound defenseman sticks with Detroit, his salary will be $1.2 million over three years. Should he wind up with the Red Wings’ American Hockey League farm club at Adirondack, N.Y., the three-year salary is $180,000.

Either way his junior hockey career is completed.

“Detroit realizes what a quality player he is,” Chiefs coach Mike Babcock said. “The more you watch, the more you know how dependable he is. People have talked in terms of his being a sixth or seventh ‘D-man’ in the NHL. I think he could be a steady four or five guy.”

Gillam, a third-round draft choice, the 75th player taken in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, was one of the WHL’s top-scoring blue-liners for two seasons. His 14 points in 18 playoff games this year was tied for fourth in the league for points by defensemen.

Contacted at his parents’ home in Lethbridge, Alberta, Gillam said his agent, Jeff Solomon, who also represents former Chief Bryan McCabe, “did a good job for me.”

Babcock used three verys - as in “very, very, very good” - to describe the contract.

“I feel great about it,” Gillam said. “I’ll go down to Detroit in September (for training camp). I hope to stick around a bit longer this time. If not, I’ll be with Adirondack, which wouldn’t be bad. I don’t see any down side to it.”

Gillam said the Red Wings’ second straight disappointing exit from the playoffs may have hastened negotiations.

“They’ve been going at it for two years and haven’t figured out how to win the big prize,” he said. “The feeling I kind of got is that they’re trying to get the young guys (lined up) for the future.”

Two other previously drafted Chiefs, Jay Bertsch and Adam Magarrell, were not signed and are headed back into the entry draft.

Magarrell was a fourth-round choice of the Philadelphia Flyers. Bertsch was taken in the eighth round by Colorado.

“It’s great for both of them,” Babcock said. “Especially Bertsch. This was the first year he played a lot. He was frustrated at the end of the season but he’ll be better long term if he can play juniors another year.

“‘Mags’ needs the summer to put on weight. He played his best hockey in the playoffs. He has the opportunity to be a dominant player.”

The Chiefs are almost certain to lose one of their 20-year-olds to the expansion Edmonton Ice in this month’s WHL over-age draft.

They can keep three 20-year-olds. Magarrell is almost certainly one. Should David Lemanowicz return from camp with the Florida Panthers, an organization deep in goaltending talent, he’d also be one of the three.

Center Darren Sinclair, who signed a free-agent contract with Vancouver, could also return as an over-age player. Bertsch, Randy Favaro and John Shockey are other key Chiefs headed into their 20-year-old season.

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