Vilardi enjoying second season in Winnipeg

WINNIPEG – The hockey world continues to be stunned by the start to the NHL season by the Winnipeg Jets. As for those in the dressing room, including Gabriel Vilardi, there is a high level of confidence.

“Going to every game, especially with our team, we expect to win every game right now. Obviously, there's some reality to that, injuries and different things come into play,” said Vilardi on the Ground Control podcast.

“You're tired, back-to-back, stuff like that, and it's not realistic to win every game. But, I mean, we have a really good team, and like I said, we're going into every game, and we have the expectation that we're going to come out with a win.”

This is Vilardi’s second season in Winnipeg, last year he posted 36 points (22 goals, 14 assists) in 47 games. He currently is on pace to smash his career bests in goals, assists and points.

“I got injured after three games last year, so I was just kind of waiting. This year I’m with the team and I’m playing so I think that’s the biggest difference. Just being around the guys, I feel like I’m more comfortable in my own shoes kind of thing,” said Vilardi.

“The injury kind of just messed kind of getting in with the guys because I mean you get more comfortable going into battles and playing with the guys and being in the room. So, it was tough, definitely, to get injured so soon and be watching the guys for a month and a half there. I feel very comfortable and just feel like myself right now with the team.”

The production the Jets are getting from the 25-year-old this season is what they were hoping for when they sent Pierre Luc-Dubois to the Kings in the summer of 2023 for Vilardi, Rasmus Kupari, Alex Iafallo and a draft pick. The chemistry with Vilardi, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor seems to be growing shift-by-shift.

“I think just their hockey smarts, how they read and see the game, and how they draw guys into them, and that allows me to have more space with the puck. They hold on to the puck for that extra second. That just gives me the extra time to either get open or if they do give me the puck, I know I have that extra split second,” said Vilardi.

“And then I think underrated aspect of their game is they're both very, very big competitors, and they're very good defenders. And I think we're starting to kind of find our game.”

As of this morning, the Jets continue to have the best power play in the league (35.7%). After finishing 22^nd (18.4%) last season, they added Davis Payne to the coaching staff and there has been a noticeable difference.

“I think just the different options. I think it's less stagnant than last year. I think guys are moving around more. It feels more, I don't know what the word is, I call it, flowy, guys are going in and out of spots. So, I’d say that compared to last year,” said Vilardi.

“And then, obviously we're having success, which always makes things better. But I still think we have more levels to keep going, and we want to keep this, we want to be one of the best power plays. A lot of games come down to special teams, so you have to take advantage of those opportunities.”

Athletes are always looking for ways to get better and diet plays a big part of that. Over the summer Vilardi changed his and one of the new additions is dark chocolate which he eats before games, an idea from Dr. Chad Prusmack, a doctor from Denver.

“If you want the science behind it, it’s pure fat. It’s 90% dark chocolate. So, it’s good fats for you. That’s good energy you want to run off fat and proteins and then another thing is, it’s good for the brain, opens a lot of the neurotransmitters,” explained Vilardi.

“I think so much of the game is mental, actually. So, if I can get the edge mentally, I'll try it out. So, I tried it out during the preseason, the first few games in camp, and I liked it, and I've been kind of sticking with it.”

Jets fans should be grateful that Vilardi’s parents chose to put their sons in hockey after moving to Canada from Italy in the late 90’s. On top of that, his older brother Francesco played a large part in his push for excellence on and off the ice while growing up.

“Just kind of the back story parents moved to Canada in 98 My brother was born 96 and then I was born 99 so just being in Canada, it was the thing to do. Everyone was doing it. So, my brother got into it first, and then obviously me being the younger brother and looking up to him so much I saw him doing it, so I got into it. And he was a big part of me making it to the NHL. Because whatever my brother did, if he did an hour of training practice. I had to do two hours, so it was always something like that,” said Vilardi.

“I don't think my parents ever envisioned this. Obviously, coming to Canada, neither of them knew what hockey was, but it's just kind of coo how sports take you down different pathways of life, and you meet so many different people.”