KINGS Rd 1 #11 overall GABRIEL VILARDI

[Pucknut50]

This league is about speed > size especially in forwards. Kings need speed so I would have rather gone with one of the the speedier guys at #11 like Suzuki or Necas. Defense in the NHL is so good now that unless you have speed you have no room to work. Look at Carter and how the defense has to back off.

I would have loved the Kings drafting Suzuki because I am Japanese. I think he would have been an exciting player and fan favorite here.

 

[regulate]

This league is about speed > size especially in forwards. Kings need speed so I would have rather gone with one of the the speedier guys at #11 like Suzuki or Necas. Defense in the NHL is so good now that unless you have speed you have no room to work. Look at Carter and how the defense has to back off.

I would have loved the Kings drafting Suzuki because I am Japanese. I think he would have been an exciting player and fan favorite here.

I was very high on Suzuki and wanted him to be an LA King too, but when Vilardi dropped into our lap it was a no-brainer. We'll see how it works out.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

This league is about speed > size especially in forwards. Kings need speed so I would have rather gone with one of the the speedier guys at #11 like Suzuki or Necas. Defense in the NHL is so good now that unless you have speed you have no room to work. Look at Carter and how the defense has to back off.

I would have loved the Kings drafting Suzuki because I am Japanese. I think he would have been an exciting player and fan favorite here.

Maybe but that copycat league stuff is why a guy ranked #3 by some is #11 for us and I'm glad we went BPA even though I have my apprehensions.

 

[johnjm22]

This league is about speed > size especially in forwards. Kings need speed so I would have rather gone with one of the the speedier guys at #11 like Suzuki or Necas. Defense in the NHL is so good now that unless you have speed you have no room to work. Look at Carter and how the defense has to back off.

I would have loved the Kings drafting Suzuki because I am Japanese. I think he would have been an exciting player and fan favorite here.

This recent focus on speed in the NHL is just the flavor du jour.

When the Kings won everybody was talking about size. Now that some quicker teams are having success it's all about speed.

Truth is, it doesn't matter. You can be successful with different kinds of styles.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Highlights from the Memorial Cup.

Vilardi's 4-assists:


Memorial Cup Final, Vilardi with 2 helpers:

 

[SFKingshomer]

This recent focus on speed in the NHL is just the flavor du jour.

When the Kings won everybody was talking about size. Now that some quicker teams are having success it's all about speed.

Truth is, it doesn't matter. You can be successful with different kinds of styles.

Dean Lombardi is that you?

 

[BigKing]

It's all about ball bearings these days!

[/url]via Imgflip Meme Generator[/IMG]

 

[lexlavender]

Honestly, watching Vilardi's highlights, he looks like a mini Kopitar. Just so strong on the puck.

I was voting for Suzuki before the draft, but Vilardi seems like an amazing pick up at 11.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

6'3" 203 is a big ass kid for his age too plus he's the rare kid that knows how to actually use his size which bodes well at the next level.

If he's good at literally EVERYTHING ELSE and he just isn't a burner, so be it. Even if people were skeptical about his skating, I never saw him ranked lower than #5.

 

[KINGS17]

6'3" 203 is a big ass kid for his age too plus he's the rare kid that knows how to actually use his size which bodes well at the next level.

If he's good at literally EVERYTHING ELSE and he just isn't a burner, so be it. Even if people were skeptical about his skating, I never saw him ranked lower than #5.

May grow another inch, and guaranteed he will put on at least another 20 lbs. by the time he is 21 years of age.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

6'3" 203 is a big ass kid for his age too plus he's the rare kid that knows how to actually use his size which bodes well at the next level.

If he's good at literally EVERYTHING ELSE and he just isn't a burner, so be it. Even if people were skeptical about his skating, I never saw him ranked lower than #5.

Agreed. His skating should get somewhat better. That's what he's training on this Summer in Minnesota - a skating trainer and personal trainer.
Yannetti said the 2 games against Erie were the 2 biggest games of the year and
he was the best player in both games and they were the fastest junior games he saw this year. He looks a lot like Jason Allison and he wasn't a burner. Kopi at 29 has lost a step or 2 - knee injury and lots of heavy play for a decade will make that inevitable.

 

[BigKing]

His highlight tape is *****-inducing.

edit- Guess you can't type the name of Kirk Cameron's best friend from Growing Pains on here.

 

[kings11]

Agreed. His skating should get somewhat better. That's what he's training on this Summer in Minnesota - a skating trainer and personal trainer.
Yannetti said the 2 games against Erie were the 2 biggest games of the year and
he was the best player in both games and they were the fastest junior games he saw this year. He looks a lot like Jason Allison and he wasn't a burner. Kopi at 29 has lost a step or 2 - knee injury and lots of heavy play for a decade will make that inevitable.

Gabriel Vilardi is nothing like Jason Allison, in fact Vilardi is already taller and will likely be heavier than JA. If you want to really compare him to someone, think Joe Thornton with a goal scorers mindset/ability... Vilardi's hands are amazing!

 

[BigKing]

Gabriel Vilardi is nothing like Jason Allison, in fact Vilardi is already taller and will likely be heavier than JA. If you want to really compare him to someone, think Joe Thornton with a goal scorers mindset/ability... Vilardi's hands are amazing!

They are both the same height at the moment. Allison was probably 220 at least when he was in LA.

All signs point to Vilardi being more of a play maker than goal scorer. That falls in line with Allison and Thornton. Regardless, Allison had a couple of 30 goal seasons so a Jason Allison comparison is not a bad thing.

I see a lot of Allison in the Vilardi highlight package. I would be over-the-moon if he turns out as good as him. A broken down Allison in the faster, "new" NHL still put up 60 points in 66 games for the Leafs in the first year after the lockout.

 

[kilowatt]

They are both the same height at the moment. Allison was probably 220 at least when he was in LA.

All signs point to Vilardi being more of a play maker than goal scorer. That falls in line with Allison and Thornton. Regardless, Allison had a couple of 30 goal seasons so a Jason Allison comparison is not a bad thing.

I see a lot of Allison in the Vilardi highlight package. I would be over-the-moon if he turns out as good as him. A broken down Allison in the faster, "new" NHL still put up 60 points in 66 games for the Leafs in the first year after the lockout.

That seems like a lifetime ago.

 

[Legionnaire]

This league is about speed > size especially in forwards. Kings need speed so I would have rather gone with one of the the speedier guys at #11 like Suzuki or Necas. Defense in the NHL is so good now that unless you have speed you have no room to work. Look at Carter and how the defense has to back off.

I would have loved the Kings drafting Suzuki because I am Japanese. I think he would have been an exciting player and fan favorite here.

This league is about trends, and you either set them or follow them. The Kings as a franchise have been a perfect example of what not to do. The Kings were consistently behind the trends and always trying unsuccessfully to catch up until Lombardi created an actual team identity.

 

[King'sPawn]

This league is about speed > size especially in forwards. Kings need speed so I would have rather gone with one of the the speedier guys at #11 like Suzuki or Necas. Defense in the NHL is so good now that unless you have speed you have no room to work. Look at Carter and how the defense has to back off.

I would have loved the Kings drafting Suzuki because I am Japanese. I think he would have been an exciting player and fan favorite here.

There's more to speed than skating speed, you know. It's how quick you think the game.

Yes, a player like McDavid is dominant, because he thinks as fast as he skates. Beyond him, would you rather have Michael Grabner or John Tavares?

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Draisaitl isn't known for his speed either, and look at how much better he performed in the playoffs over the speedy and flashier McDavid.

Vilardi is 17. Skating is something that can be worked on. The skills he possesses can't be taught.

 

[kings11]

There's more to speed than skating speed, you know. It's how quick you think the game.

Yes, a player like McDavid is dominant, because he thinks as fast as he skates. Beyond him, would you rather have Michael Grabner or John Tavares?

This KP....

This is why I absolutely love our top 3 C prospects Vilardi, Amadio and JAD..
these kids play the game at an uptempo pace and mentally think it faster than their competition...

This is also why I am extremely nervous about the FO giving any UFA center a deal longer than 2 years.

 

[kings11]

They are both the same height at the moment. Allison was probably 220 at least when he was in LA.

All signs point to Vilardi being more of a play maker than goal scorer. That falls in line with Allison and Thornton. Regardless, Allison had a couple of 30 goal seasons so a Jason Allison comparison is not a bad thing.

I see a lot of Allison in the Vilardi highlight package. I would be over-the-moon if he turns out as good as him. A broken down Allison in the faster, "new" NHL still put up 60 points in 66 games for the Leafs in the first year after the lockout.

I think thats a misconception, Vilardi is a great passer and has an extremely high hockey IQ, Vision and playmaking skills... with that said, he also scores goals a sniper would, his hands are gold, his play from the circles down are elite and as some scouts said, " Is the best in this class"...

Another thing people overlook about Vilardi is that while his skating is choppy and he's slow to get off, once he does he's pretty damn quick for a kid his size.. go back and look at game tape and the kid could easily of had 40-50 goals but is a team player and he's also a defensive monster.... So body wise he does have a JA/JT look to him, IMHO he's a much more natural scorer than either...

 

[KopitarFAN]

This KP....

This is why I absolutely love our top 3 C prospects Vilardi, Amadio and JAD..
these kids play the game at an uptempo pace and mentally think it faster than their competition...

This is also why I am extremely nervous about the FO giving any UFA center a deal longer than 2 years.

Pretty crazy that those could be the 2nd, 3rd & 4th centers in 20-21 (whatever is left of it), or 2nd & 3rd with Vilardi on the wing.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I think thats a misconception, Vilardi is a great passer and has an extremely high hockey IQ, Vision and playmaking skills... with that said, he also scores goals a sniper would, his hands are gold, his play from the circles down are elite and as some scouts said, " Is the best in this class"...

Another thing people overlook about Vilardi is that while his skating is choppy and he's slow to get off, once he does he's pretty damn quick for a kid his size.. go back and look at game tape and the kid could easily of had 40-50 goals but is a team player and he's also a defensive monster.... So body wise he does have a JA/JT look to him, IMHO he's a much more natural scorer than either...

He reminds me of Toffoli in that way.

TT's skating has improved to 'average,' but you never see him get caught--reason: IQ. He knows where to be.

Vilardi has a similarly 'ugly' stride but has no problems getting from point A to point B. I might be skeptical, but the skating thing looks extremely overblown.

 

[regulate]

 

[BigKing]

And my Allison comparison has now been fully supported.

 

[kings11]

And my Allison comparison has now been fully supported.

you A$$....

but seems about right, the kid went through a lot this season and still came up big... much deserved rest, although I wonder if hadn't been injured and then almost immediately dealt with the appendectomy would he have been afforded the opportunity to challenge for a roster spot this coming season?? NHL ready body, NHL ready game...