Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi has an enlarged spleen and will be out indefinitely, shares head coach Rick Bowness after the team’s Friday practice. Vilardi has missed the team’s last seven games and will now miss at least five more, as the Jets take off on an extended road trip that Vilardi won’t join. Bowness added that this issue was recently discovered and that Vilardi is receiving treatment.
Vilardi has been limited to just 38 games this season, missing six weeks of play earlier in the season after suffering a sprained MCL and suffering scattered day-to-day injuries throughout the year. It’s been far from an ideal start to Vilardi’s time in Winnipeg, after joining the team alongside Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari, and a 2024 second-round pick in the deal that sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Los Angeles Kings. It’s unfortunate to see injuries marring Vilardi’s season, which has been incredibly productive when he is healthy. The 24-year-old centerman has 16 goals and 30 points on the year, scoring at an 82-game pace of 35 goals and 65 points. It’s the highest scoring-pace of Vilardi’s career, continuing the strong pace he set last season when he totaled 23 goals and 41 points in 63 games.
Missing Vilardi has left a notable hole in the Jets’ top-six. And while extra ice time to Adam Lowry and Mason Appleton helped supplement that absence, the Jets were still in need of an extra spark – leading them to acquire the New Jersey Devils’ leading goal-scorer in Tyler Toffoli. Winnipeg sent a second and third round pick to New Jersey for Toffoli and, while he hasn’t scored a point in two games with the Jets, the 31-year-old veteran is clearly feeling comfortable, maintaining his high-volume shooting with nine shot attempts in his pair of games. The Jets will hope that comfortability turns into goals very quickly, as they’re now down Vilardi for the short term, at least.
Spleen and all, Gabe Vilardi is still outscoring PLD.
Enjoy that while it lasts
Kings won the trade
Vilardi has more goals and points then PLD in 27 fewer games played. The Jets also got two serviceable players and a 2nd rounder in the deal, and aren’t locked into what is quickly looking like one of the worst contracts in the NHL. But if you choose to ignore all those facts then yes, the Kings won the trade.
Ifallo has negative value with his cap hit. He is playable but they would trade him in a second if someone took on the contract. Kupari is the worst offensive forward in hockey. 1 secondary assist on the season. No goal since January 2023. Call them serviceable players then say Kings fans ignore facts lmao.
@C-Daddy — And, Vilardi’s +/- is 31 better, and has 5 GWGs, compared to PLD’s 3. Straight up, Vilardi’s a more positive contributor to WPG’s success.
Can Vilardi EVER play 60+ games in a season? Unless you’re paying him $3-mil or less, he’s not someone you can count on and his ‘contributons’ miniml…
PLD will be a bust if he’s at the same numbers/production next year at the 40 game mark, because NO ONE is getting 30+ goals w/third line minutes and Carl Grundstrom on their wing..
#GoKings
@Swiney50 — That’s the key with Vilardi. If he can’t stay healthy, he’ll end up as an also-ran in the annals of NHL history. I hope he can, just to see how the two will compare, long-term.
Poor Gabe not able to get away from the injury bug. Makes me wonder how good his numbers would be without so many injuries. Kings fan here rooting for him!
Gabe is one hell of player……..but only for about 1/2 of the season. I don’t see him getting healthy, but worse!!
He just can’t stay healthy. It is too bad.
Must have had mono
Tonight it looks like either PLD has read or somebody in his inner circle has let him know some of us are kicking sand in his face. He’s got the ice breaker and an assist so far in Chicago.