Matthew Spiller

Matthew Spiller (born February 7, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 68 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Phoenix Coyotes and the New York Islanders. Spiller was originally selected 31st overall by the Coyotes in the 2001 NHL entry draft.

Playing career Spiller played major junior hockey with the Seattle Thunderbirds in the Western Hockey League. Due to his hulking size and defensive promise, Spiller was selected as the first pick in the second round of the 2001 Entry Draft. In his rookie professional season, Spiller stepped straight into the NHL with the Coyotes in the 2003–04 campaign. Spiller spent the next three seasons within the Coyotes organization, playing primarily with American Hockey League affiliates.

On July 3, 2007, Spiller was signed as a free agent to a one-year deal with the New York Islanders. In the 2007–08 season, he featured in 9 games with the Islanders in what would be his last year in the NHL. Spiller later signed with the New Jersey Devils the following season, but was assigned to AHL affiliate, the Lowell Devils.

As a free agent, Spiller agreed to sign in the Czech Extraliga with HC Bílí Tygři Liberec, however failing to adapt to the European game after 8 games, he returned to the North American minor league ranks in joining the Bloomington PrairieThunder of the Central Hockey League for the 2009–10 season. Spiller spent two years away from professional hockey before attempting a brief comeback in the ECHL with the Florida Everblades in the 2012–13 season.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1999–2000 Seattle Thunderbirds WHL 60 1 10 11 106 7 0 0 0 25 2000–01 Seattle Thunderbirds WHL 71 4 7 11 174 9 1 0 1 22 2001–02 Seattle Thunderbirds WHL 72 8 23 31 168 1 0 0 0 4 2002–03 Seattle Thunderbirds WHL 68 11 24 35 198 15 2 7 9 36 2003–04 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 51 0 0 0 54 — — — — — 2003–04 Springfield Falcons AHL 21 1 2 3 32 — — — — — 2004–05 Utah Grizzlies AHL 79 4 7 11 160 — — — — — 2005–06 San Antonio Rampage AHL 69 2 7 9 167 — — — — — 2005–06 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 8 0 1 1 13 — — — — — 2006–07 San Antonio Rampage AHL 80 1 7 8 187 — — — — — 2007–08 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 75 1 5 6 177 — — — — — 2007–08 New York Islanders NHL 9 0 1 1 7 — — — — — 2008–09 Lowell Devils AHL 71 2 11 13 90 — — — — — 2009–10 Bílí Tygři Liberec ELH 8 0 0 0 8 — — — — — 2009–10 Bloomington PrairieThunder IHL 43 8 13 21 124 — — — — — 2012–13 Florida Everblades ECHL 2 2 1 3 2 — — — — — NHL totals 68 0 2 2 74 — — — — — AHL totals 395 11 39 50 813 — — — — —

International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 2000 Canada U18 3 0 0 0 6 Junior totals 3 0 0 0 6

Awards and honours Award Year WHL CHL Top Prospects Game 2001 Best P Plus–minus (+50) 2003