Gabriel Vilardi

Gabriel "Gabe" Vilardi (born August 16, 1999) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted eleventh overall by the Kings in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

Gabe Vilardi
Vilardi with the Windsor Spitfires in 2016
Born (1999-08-16) August 16, 1999
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 203 lb (92 kg; 14 st 7 lb)
Position Centre
Shoots Right
NHL team Los Angeles Kings
NHL Draft 11th overall, 2017
Los Angeles Kings
Playing career 2018–present

Playing career

Vilardi played his Minor Midget season at Canadian International Hockey Academy, where he was exposed to elite training on and off the ice each day with professional coaches. Vilardi was drafted in the first round, second overall, in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection by the Windsor Spitfires.[1] While Vilardi is a natural centre he has primarily played as a winger with Windsor.[2][3]

Leading up to the NHL draft, Vilardi was seen as a top prospect and was ranked the No. 4 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting Bureau.[4] Craig Button of TSN described him as a big and strong centre with so much offensive upside.[5]

In the 2017–18 season, on January 1, 2018, Vilardi along with Sean Day were traded by the Spitfires to the Kingston Frontenacs in exchange for Cody Morgan and six draft picks.[6] On March 1, 2018, Vilardi signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings.[7]

Due to a chronic back issue, Vilardi did not make his professional debut with Ontario Reign, the Kings American Hockey League affiliate, until November 29, 2018. He earned his first professional point three days later against the Tucson Roadrunners.[8] On December 10, the Kings loaned Vilardi to Team Canada for a chance to compete at the 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.[9]

Having recovered from his back issue, Vilardi found a more consistent spot with the Reign, playing 32 games in 2019–20, scoring 9 goals and 16 assists for 25 points. On February 20, 2020, Vilardi was recalled to the Kings from the Ontario Reign. He made his NHL debut later that night against the Florida Panthers. On his first career shot, Vilardi fired a wrist shot past Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. Vilardi set a new NHL record, scoring his first career goal 10 seconds into his first career shift. Vilardi added an assist in the second period on a goal scored by Martin Frk.

Personal life

Vilardi was born to Italian parents Natale Vilardi and Giovanna Siviglia who moved from Reggio Calabria to Kingston, Ontario.[10] His older brother Francesco played three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League, and now plays for Queen's University hockey team. [11]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2014–15 CIHA Voyageurs OEMHL 2118213912 —————
2015–16 Windsor Spitfires OHL 62 17 21 38 14 5 1 3 4 2
2016–17 Windsor Spitfires OHL 49 29 32 61 12 7 2 4 6 4
2017–18 Kingston Frontenacs OHL 32 22 36 58 14 16 11 11 22 14
2018–19 Ontario Reign AHL 4 0 1 1 0 — — — — —
2019–20 Ontario Reign AHL 32 9 16 25 14 — — — — —
2019–20 Los Angeles Kings NHL 10 3 4 7 4 — — — — —
NHL totals 103474 —————

International
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2015 Canada White U17 6 4 3 7 0
Junior totals 6 4 3 7 0

References
  1. "Spitfires sign top pick Gabe Vilardi". June 25, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  2. "2017 Draft: Gabriel Vilardi driven to rise higher". NHL.com. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  3. "Patrick, Hischier in tight race for No. 1 in TSN draft ranking". TSN. April 27, 2017. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  4. "2017 Draft: Nolan Patrick of Brandon ranked No. 1". NHL.com. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  5. "Patrick goes No. 1 in TSN's post-season mock draft". TSN. April 10, 2017. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  6. "Vilardi and Day traded to Kingston". Windsor Spitfires. January 1, 2018. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  7. "The LA Kings Sign Gabe Vilardi to a Three-Year Entry Level Contract". NHL.com. March 1, 2018. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
  8. Dooley, Zach (December 13, 2018). "INSIDER: Vilardi Impresses in Pro Debut, Sets Sights on Team Canada". NHL.com. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  9. "Walker Recalled from Reign, Vilardi Loaned to Team Canada for WJC". NHL.com. December 10, 2018. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  10. nurun.com. "Call it the Vilardi wall of fame". The Kingston Whig-Standard. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  11. "FRANCESCO VILARDI". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Adrian Kempe		 Los Angeles Kings first round draft pick
2017		 Succeeded by
Rasmus Kupari
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