Die-hard Montreal Canadiens fans with fond memories will remember defenseman Tom Gilbert, who wore the tricolor for about a season and a half, and will surely be pleased to know he’s doing great these days. .
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The 40-year-old is in his first season with the Madison Capitols. Landed in this organization of the United States Hockey League as Director of Player Development, he temporarily took over the place of head coach Corey Leivermann, who was fired on Monday.
The ex-back will be on a mission to get the Capitols back on track for success. They occupy the USHL’s Eastern Conference basement with just 25 points in 48 games this year.
Gilbert enjoyed a 655-game career in the National Hockey League. As a fourth-round pick, 129th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2002 draft, he played his first six seasons with the Edmonton Oilers. After stints with the Minnesota Wild and Florida Panthers, he signed a two-year, $5.6 million contract with the Canadiens.
The American averaged 14 points in 117 regular-season games with Sainte-Flanelle and also appeared in 12 games in the 2015 playoffs. That year, Montreal lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round. He then signed with the Los Angeles Kings in the summer of 2016.