Andy Hilbert played college hockey at the University of Michigan from 1999 to 2001. In his sophomore season (2000-01), he was a dominant forward, leading his team with 64 points on 26 goals and 38 assists in 41 games. His outstanding performance earned him a top-ten nomination for the Hobey Baker Award. That same year, he was also named a First-Team All-American and was a CCHA First-Team All-Star.

After his two seasons at Michigan, Hilbert turned professional, signing with the Boston Bruins, who had drafted him in 2000. He played in parts of nine seasons in the NHL with the Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, and Minnesota Wild, totaling 307 games. His most productive season came in 2006-07 with the Islanders, when he recorded a career-high 28 points. He also had a very successful career in the AHL, where he was a three-time All-Star.