Dennis Gilbert (born October 30, 1996) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Belleville Senators in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks, 90th overall, in the 2015 NHL entry draft, and has also played for the Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames, and Buffalo Sabres.
Gilbert was born on October 30, 1996, to parents Dennis Sr. and Kim Gilbert. Growing up, he refused to play hockey year-round to play lacrosse and football. As a sophomore in high school, he was the backup quarterback to Chad Kelly.
Gilbert played junior hockey as a defenseman with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres in the Ontario Junior Hockey League before graduating to the Chicago Steel in the United States Hockey League (USHL). In his only season in the USHL in 2014âÂÂ15, he scored four goals and 23 assists for 27 points in 59 games. While with the Steel, he committed to play college hockey at the University of Notre Dame.
Gilbert joined the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, originally of the Hockey East conference, for the 2015âÂÂ16 season. In 37 games, he tallied two goals and ten points. The Fighting Irish were knocked out of the 2016 NCAA tournament in the Midwest Regional by the Michigan Wolverines to end their season. In his sophomore season with the Fighting Irish in 2016âÂÂ17 he made 40 appearances, recording 22 assists. Gilbert helped guide Notre Dame to the Frozen Four, losing to the Denver Pioneers. He was announced as the Hockey East's Best Defensive Defenseman and a Hockey East Third Team All-Star. In July 2017, Notre Dame switched conferences, joining the Big Ten conference. Gilbert concluded his collegiate career following his junior season with the Fighting Irish in 2017âÂÂ18, in which he played 39 games, marking four goals and ten points. Notre Dame won the Big 10 championship and advanced to the 2018 Frozen Four championship game, where they lost to Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs.
Gilbert was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the third round, 90th overall, of the 2015 NHL entry draft. He turned professional after signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Blackhawks on April 14, 2018. He was assigned to Chicago's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, for the 2018âÂÂ19 season. He made 63 appearances with Rockford, marking five goals and 14 points. At the end of the season, he was recalled by Chicago on April 3, 2019, after the Blackhawks had been eliminated from playoff contention. He made his NHL debut that night in a 4âÂÂ3 win over the St. Louis Blues. The next day he was sent back to the AHL. He split the 2019âÂÂ20 season between the AHL and NHL, beginning with Rockford before bouncing between them and Chicago. He recorded his first NHL point on December 12, assisting on Jonathan Toews' second period goal in a 5âÂÂ2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes. He scored his first NHL goal on December 22 in a 5âÂÂ2 victory over the New York Islanders. He made 30 appearances with Rockford, scoring one goal and seven points and got into 21 games with Chicago with one goal and three points before the NHL suspended play on March 20, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Entering the final year of his entry-level deal on October 10, 2020, Gilbert was traded by the Blackhawks, alongside forward Brandon Saad, to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defensemen Anton Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov. He began the pandemic-shortened 2020âÂÂ21 season on the Avalanche's taxi squad, considered a member of the team's AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, but remained with the NHL team and could be called into NHL action the same day. He made his Avalanche debut on January 19, 2021, replacing Ian Cole in the lineup after the latter was traded to Minnesota earlier in the day. He played in only three games with Colorado having missed four weeks due to facial reconstruction surgery following a fight with Keegan Kolesar on February 16. He was assigned to the AHL on March 16 and made 17 appearances for the Eagles, tallying one goal and eight points. On August 16, 2021, the Avalanche re-signed Gilbert to a one-year contract. Gilbert failed to make the Avalanche's roster and was placed on waivers to start the season. After going unclaimed, he was assigned to the Eagles for the 2021-22 season. In 52 games with the Eagles, he scored six goals and 23 points.
Following two seasons in Colorado, Gilbert left as an unrestricted free agent and was signed to a two-year, $1.525 million contract with the Calgary Flames on July 13, 2022. After going unclaimed on waivers, he was assigned to the Flames' AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers, to start the 2022âÂÂ23 season. He was recalled by the Flames for the first time on November 6 along with Nick DeSimone. He made his Flames debut on November 8 in a 3âÂÂ2 loss to the New Jersey Devils. He recorded his first point with the Flames on November 23, assisting on Dillon Dubé's goal in a 2âÂÂ1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He spent the season split between the AHL and NHL, performing spot duty with the Flames replacing missing veterans Oliver Kylington and Michael Stone. He tallied his first goal for the Flames on February 11, 2023 in a 7âÂÂ2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. In 23 games with the Flames he marked the one goal and four points. In 26 games with the Wranglers he scored two goals and five points.
In his second season with the Flames in 2023âÂÂ24 season, he made the opening night roster. He steadily got into the lineup until leaving the game on January 4, 2024 due to a head injury suffered after a hit by Philip Tomasino. He was placed on injured reserve on January 17 and did not return to the lineup until March 2, missing ten games. However, during the season, the Flames acquired three new defensemen in March and Gilbert saw his playing time diminish as the new players were integrated. He finished the season with one goal and seven points in 34 games.
After his contract with the Flames, Gilbert opted to leave as an unrestricted free agent and was signed to a one-year, $825,000 contract with hometown club, the Buffalo Sabres, on July 1, 2024. He made his Sabres debut in their second game and first win of the 2024âÂÂ25 season on October 12 in a 5âÂÂ2 victory over the Florida Panthers. He replaced Sam Lafferty in the lineup. He was scratched for lengthy periods of time, going from November 16 to December 7 without playing a game. He recorded his first point with the Sabres assisting on Tyson Kozak's goal in the first period in a 5âÂÂ2 loss to the Utah Hockey Club on December 7. With Buffalo, he marked five assists in 25 games.
On March 7, 2025, Gilbert was traded to the Ottawa Senators along with forward Dylan Cozens and a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL entry draft in exchange for forward Josh Norris and defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker. He made his debut the following night on March 8 in a 4âÂÂ3 victory over the New York Rangers. He recorded his first point with Ottawa in a 4âÂÂ3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, assisting on Nick Cousins' first period goal. He concluded the season with the Senators, registering one assist through just four appearances.
As a free agent from the Senators, Gilbert was signed as a free agent to a one-year, $875,000 contract with the Philadelphia Flyers on July 1, 2025. He made the Flyers' opening night roster, but never played a game for them before being assigned to the Flyers' AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, on October 13. In six games, he recorded one assist with Lehigh Valley. However, just under five months later, Gilbert was traded back to the Senators in exchange for defenseman Maxence Guenette.