# 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 | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | 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 | NHL totals | NHL totals | 68 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 74 | — | — | — | — | — |
| AHL totals | AHL totals | 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 | Junior totals | Junior totals | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |

## Awards and honours

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