Education
University of Wisconsin–Madison.
University of Wisconsin–Madison.
He has previously played in the National Hockey League for the Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild and Florida Panthers. Amateur
Gilbert played his high school hockey for Minnesota powerhouse Bloomington Jefferson High School and was the captain his senior year, 2001. That same year, he switched to forward from defense, which he played as a sophomore and junior.
He responded by scoring four goals in his first game at forward against a strong Hill-Murray team
Professional
Known by most scouts for his two-way ability in both ends of the ice, Gilbert was drafted in the fifth round, 129th overall, at the 2002 National Hockey League Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche. He was later traded to the Edmonton Oilers on March 9, 2004, in exchange for struggling goaltender Tommy Salo and a sixth-round draft pick in 2005.
Gilbert played junior hockey with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League (USHL). He made his debut at the University of Wisconsin–Madison with the Badgers in 2002.
In the 2005-2006 season, he ranked third on the team in points, and also scored the winning goal in the 2006 National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship game against Boston College.
Gilbert made his professional debut in the 2006-2007 season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL). Through 33 games, he was tied for the team lead in points among defensemen. Due to injuries, Gilbert was called-up to the National Hockey League in January 2007 and made his National Hockey League debut on his 24th birthday against the San Jose Sharks.
He scored his first National Hockey League goal on February 20, 2007, against the Ottawa Senators" Martin Gerber in the final seconds of the game to send it to overtime.
On March 4, 2008, Gilbert surpassed Paul Coffey and Marc-André Bergeron for the Oilers" franchise record for most goals scored by a rookie defenseman in a seasion with his tenth, which came on the power play against Dan Ellis of the Nashville Predators. On April 11, 2008, Gilbert signed a six-year, $24 million contract extension with the Oilers.
At the National Hockey League trade deadline of the 2011-2012 season, on February 27, 2012, Gilbert was traded to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman Nick Schultz. Gilbert finished the season contributing five assists in 20 games.
After the lockout-shortened 2012-2013 season, with the Wild experiencing cap constraints, Gilbert was used as compliance buyout of the remaining two-year of his contract, to be released as a free agent on July 3, 2013.
In September 2013, Gilbert attended the Florida Panthers" pre-season training camp as a free agent, later signing a one-year deal with the club on September 28. He established a regular position within the blueline for the Panthers in 2013-2014, and by season"s end had produced his best season since 2009, with 28 points in 73 games. On July 1, 2014, having rediscovered his form with the Panthers, Gilbert signed a two-year contract as an unrestricted free agent with the Montreal Canadiens.