CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Cincinnati Cyclones, proud affiliate of the NHL’s Florida Panthers and Nashville Predators, announced that forward Matt McIlvane has retired from professional hockey due to health reasons.

“Following my latest injury, I’ve had some pretty long conversations with my doctors and we are in agreement that it is not in my best interest to continue playing the game I love the most,” said McIlvane. “This has been one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make but I am looking forward to the new challenges that life brings me. I would like to extend a special thank you to my entire family, girlfriend, coaches, teammates, and fans for supporting me throughout my career.”

McIlvane, a Naperville, Illinois native logged 100 games in his professional career with five different teams. He saw action in the AHL, ECHL, CHL, IHL, and overseas in Germany during his three-years on the ice.  An eighth-round draft pick of the Ottawa Senators in 2004, McIlvane accumulated 39 points (17 goals, 22 assists) and 92 penalty minutes during his three-plus years at the pro level. From 2004-08, he was a four-year letter winner at The Ohio State University where he earned 52 points (15 goals, 37 assists) in 156 games. He was named an alternate captain of the Buckeyes in 2006-07 and captained the team a year later.

“Matt is a true professional and a tremendous person,” said Cyclones Head Coach Jarrod Skalde. “Having coached him both here in Cincinnati and in Bloomington, he is an individual who I greatly respect. I wish him the best of luck in the future and am confident he will be successful wherever life takes him.”

The Cyclones will be back on the ice this Saturday as they visit the Kalamazoo Wings for the second time in three weeks. The puck drops at Wings Stadium at 7:30pm with pregame coverage on the Cyclones Radio Network (1050-AM, America One) starting at 7:15pm.

The countdown to the 2011-12 home opener is almost complete! Secure your seats for Saturday, November 5 when the Cyclones welcome the Chicago Express to U.S. Bank Arena for the first time at 7:30pm. Contact a ticket representative today at 513.421.PUCK or log on to CyclonesHockey.com for more information. Fans can also get the latest team updates throughout the season on Facebook and Twitter (@CincyCyclones).

Click here to view McIlvane's Career statistics.