Andrew John Hilbert (born February 6, 1981) is an American former professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...

forward who played in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

with the

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...

Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...

Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...

, New York Islanders and the

Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...

Playing career

As a youth, Hilbert played in the 1995

Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament (french: Tournoi international de hockey pee-wee de Québec) is an annual minor ice hockey event in Quebec City. The tournament was founded in 1960 to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival, ...

with the Detroit Little Caesars

minor ice hockey Minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from c ...

team. Hilbert was drafted by the

in the 2nd round (37th overall) in the

2000 NHL Entry Draft The 2000 NHL Entry Draft was the 38th NHL Entry Draft. It was held on June 24 and 25, 2000 at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, following the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft on June 23 for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild. T ...

from the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

of the

Central Collegiate Hockey Association The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) is a college athletic conference that participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. The current CCHA began play in the 2021–22 season; a previous incarnation, which the curr ...

. In his sophomore year, Hilber was named an AHCA West First-Team All-American and All-CCHA First Team. On July 9, 2001, Hilbert chose to conclude his collegiate career and turn professional. In his rookie season with the Boston Bruins

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...

affiliate, the Providence Bruins, Hilbert was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team and

AHL All-Star Classic The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the lea ...

. Hilbert missed the beginning of the 2003–04 season due to a groin injury. This kept him to a total of 19 AHL games. On February 9, 2005, Hilbert was named to the AHL All-Star Classic as a replacement for

Thomas Vanek Thomas Vanek (born 19 January 1984) is an Austrian former professional ice hockey left winger. He played fourteen years in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota Wild, Detroit R ...

. In November 2005, Hilbert was traded by the Bruins to the

for a 5th round selection in the

2006 NHL Entry Draft The 2006 NHL Entry Draft was the 44th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, on June 24, 2006. The draft order for the first 14 picks was decided during a lottery held on April 20, 2006. The draft was ...

. In the same season he was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 9, 2006. On July 4, 2006, Hilbert was signed as a free agent to a one-year contract with the New York Islanders. Hilbert produced a career high 28 points in his first full season in the NHL with the Islanders in 2006-07, and was subsequently rewarded with a two-year contract extension on July 3, 2007. As a free agent, Hilbert was belatedly signed prior to the 2009-10 season to a one-year contract with the

on October 1, 2009. He returned to the Islanders organization the following year on August 18, 2010. However, due to injury was forced to retire.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Awards and honors

References

External links

1981 births Living people American men's ice hockey centers Boston Bruins draft picks Boston Bruins players Chicago Blackhawks players Houston Aeros (1994–2013) players Ice hockey players from Michigan Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey players Minnesota Wild players New York Islanders players Norfolk Admirals players People from Howell, Michigan Pittsburgh Penguins players Providence Bruins players Sportspeople from Metro Detroit USA Hockey National Team Development Program players AHCA Division I men's ice hockey All-Americans {{US-icehockey-center-stub