Tom Gilbert is a former professional ice hockey player who played as a defenseman in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over a decade. He was born on January 10, 1983, in Bloomington, Minnesota, and began his hockey career playing for the Bloomington Jefferson High School team.
After high school, Gilbert played college hockey for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he was a standout player. He was named to the All-WCHA Rookie Team in his freshman year and was a two-time All-WCHA First Team selection in his junior and senior years. Gilbert was also a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, which is given to the top player in college hockey, in his senior year.
In 2004, Gilbert was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the fourth round of the NHL Entry Draft. He spent the next few years playing in the Oilers' minor league system before making his NHL debut in the 2006-2007 season. Gilbert quickly established himself as a reliable defenseman for the Oilers, playing in all 82 games in his rookie season and finishing with 33 points.
Over the next few seasons, Gilbert continued to be a key player for the Oilers, playing in over 70 games each year and contributing offensively with his strong skating and passing abilities. In 2011, Gilbert was traded to the Minnesota Wild, where he played for two seasons before being traded again to the Florida Panthers.
Gilbert played for the Panthers for two seasons before signing as a free agent with the Montreal Canadiens in 2014. He played for the Canadiens for one season before being traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 2015. Gilbert played for the Kings for one season before signing with the Washington Capitals in 2016.
Gilbert's NHL career came to an end in 2017 when he signed with the Nuremberg Ice Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), a professional ice hockey league in Germany. He played one season with the Ice Tigers before retiring from professional hockey.
Throughout his NHL career, Gilbert was known for his strong skating and passing abilities, as well as his ability to play in all situations. He was a reliable defenseman who could be counted on to play big minutes and contribute offensively. Gilbert finished his NHL career with 45 goals and 169 assists for a total of 214 points in 655 games played.
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