Kings Article: Gabe Vilardi Is Finally At Full Speed and Is Raring to Go for the LA Kings

[FrozenRoyalty]

Los Angeles Kings center Gabe Vilardi is one happy guy, now that he has finally put rehabilitation work for his 2017 back injury/surgery behind him.

Vilardi and head coach Todd McLellan spoke with the media on the difference an extended summer devoted to training instead of rehab has made for Vilardi and why expectations are much higher for Vilardi going into this season.

Read all about it at...

Gabe Vilardi Is Finally At Full Speed and Is Raring to Go for the LA Kings

Click to read more...

 

[RaymondReddington]

Ranking the top 20 Calder Trophy candidates for the 2021 NHL season per The Athletic
Scott Wheeler

7. Gabe Vilardi, C, 21 (Los Angeles Kings — 11th overall, 2017)
Loyal readers know that I’m a big Gabe Vilardi guy. Projecting some of the Kings prospects forward this year is a tricky proposition (where do Quinton Byfield and Alex Turcotte and the rest fit in on a crowded team that can’t play all of them?). Vilardi, though, is a lock. He’s going to be on the team. Probably as their third-line centre and maybe even as their second-line centre at times. His strong showing at the tail end of last season solidified that role. And while I’m not convinced he’s going to maintain his 0.7 points per game pace of late last season, I think he’s capable of keeping it more or less in that range, which is enough to enter the Calder conversation. That team is one Anze Kopitar injury away from needing him to be the guy down the middle, too.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

There's no one I'm more excited to see this year.

And he's a well-spoken kid, easy to root for.

 

[regulate]

So happy he's improved his conditioning significantly (according to Tmac and Gabe himself), plus he put on a good 15-20 pounds of muscle at 6-3". Last year he'd run out of gas 15-20 seconds into a shift quite often, even later in the season. Saw the same thing at the NHL level. If he can get his skating up to even NHL average, and his conditioning is where it needs to be, the skies the limit for this kid.

 

[Statto]

So happy he's improved his conditioning significantly (according to Tmac and Gabe himself), plus he put on a good 15-20 pounds of muscle at 6-3". Last year he'd run out of gas 15-20 seconds into a shift quite often, even later in the season. Saw the same thing at the NHL level. If he can get his skating up to even NHL average, and his conditioning is where it needs to be, the skies the limit for this kid.

Agreed, I’m a big fan. I still think he has 1c potential simply because of his game IQ and he’s still young. However, I think he most likely ends up as our 2C and ends up running the pp, but we’d have amazing 1-2 punch down the middle when/if Byfield hits. I’ve loved the pick from day 1 and it’s been hard watching his fitness struggles, so I’m really rooting for him.

 

[kilowatt]

I never gave up hope

 

[Yog S'loth]

All hail the Gabe, may he exorcise the name "Scott Barney" from our memories forever. Amen.

 

[cyclones22]

I'm glad that he confirmed something that I saw, which was that he was running out of steam on his shifts. A lot of times when he was out on the ice he would lose his footing and fall down and I figured that it was due to his lack of conditioning. Recognizing areas for improvement and then going out and improving those weaknesses is a sign of a maturing professional.

 

[BallPointHammer]

In addition to his performance on the ice, his character and attitude will make the Kings a better team also.

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

All hail the Gabe, may he exorcise the name "Scott Barney" from our memories forever. Amen.

Except Barney was a second rounder and Gabriel was the 11th overall choice