Confirmed with Link: Gabriel Vilardi signs 3-year ELC

[KingLB]

Do you kids have to pollute every thread with that trash?

Get over it.

 

[RossLonsberryFan]

I want him to own Ontario this year and lead them into the playoffs. No shipping back and forth. Just raw dominate big minutes against seasoned pros. Maybe a cup of coffee skating with the big boys in practice so Kopitar and Carter especially can rub off on him, but the way this guy makes teams his own is just amazing. If he comes up to just be a spare part on a **** team that's no good. Let him make his way back, build confidence, continue dominating and building his conditioning and pro skillset.

The Kings have been weakest down center ice for going on 6 years now. And now they have a legit 2C ready to contribute and be a playmaker that can make passes through traffics, between legs and over defenders’ sticks. That is what has been missing for players like Toffoli, Luff and Carter. Vilardi makes players around him better and certainly NHL players will take better advantage of GV’s skills than AHLers and borderline ECHLers.
It’s a waste of an asset in my opinion if they don’t recall him ASAP.
I don’t agree that the goal is to lose. McLellan is not coaching to lose and neither are the players bringing a losing attitude to the ice.

Blake clearly, stated that their #1 goal was to develop players.Vilardi is clearly ready for the next step.

 

[ru4reals]

I know Turcotte won the best prospects poll as I voted for him as well. However, it was mainly because Vilardi was injured. Now that he's playing as many of us have mentioned he is I think heads and shoulders the best prospect we have. My goodness if he can stay healthy and play like this in the big league drools.

 

[bland]

I know Turcotte won the best prospects poll as I voted for him as well. However, it was mainly because Vilardi was injured. Now that he's playing as many of us have mentioned he his I think heads and shoulders the best prospect we have. My goodness if he can stay healthy and play like this in the big league drools.

Turcotte is the better prospect. Vilardi very well may be a terrific offensive weapon, but so is Turcotte who also plays 200 feet with a culture changing team first attitude that hates to lose.

Turcotte checks the same boxes, then a whole bunch more. Lots of reasons to be excited for both kids, and there is nothing wrong with having a good variety of high end players.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Turcotte is the better prospect. Vilardi very well may be a terrific offensive weapon, but so is Turcotte who also plays 200 feet with a culture changing team first attitude that hates to lose.

Turcotte checks the same boxes, then a whole bunch more. Lots of reasons to be excited for both kids, and there is nothing wrong with having a good variety of high end players.

Disagree, but its' just a matter of opinion. Both guys have high-end tools, they're just different prospects, and like you say, it's nice to have a variety. I compared Turcotte to prime Mike Richards and Vilardi to some sort of Jason Allison/Corey Perry type. But I've been very happy with the growth of both. I'm also glad people have come around on Turcotte. I don't think he has a true weakness.

But the major thing I want to get at is your boldfaced. In his Reign tenure so far, Vilardi has shown a LOT more fire than I thought he had. Dude is pissy as hell, there's zero backdown, and theres a TON of emotion. I don't know if it's due to what he's been through or what but dude is all sorts of violent right now and I pretty well never saw him even really throw a check in juniors. Frankly for all his other tools seeing that is what makes me even more excited--I was worried he'd be a little tentative or shy but he's initiating and sustaining contact and aggression.

 

[ru4reals]

Turcotte is the better prospect. Vilardi very well may be a terrific offensive weapon, but so is Turcotte who also plays 200 feet with a culture changing team first attitude that hates to lose.

Turcotte checks the same boxes, then a whole bunch more. Lots of reasons to be excited for both kids, and there is nothing wrong with having a good variety of high end players.

As R. Jesus said it is a matter of opinion and I love Turcotte just as much as anyone here, but I just think Vilardi's offensive upside is the determining factor for me. Both kids are going to be the future of this franchise so guess it don't matter who's 1st or second.

 

[Kings man 4 life]

Why do we need him on the big club? So we can get a worse draft pick? This current season is a tanking one. Let Vilardi take the Reign to the playoffs, he can join next seasons wave of transition youngsters. No reason he needs to be in the NHL.

 

[HookKing]

No hats for you.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

I gather he is still sitting half of back to backs? Not in the lineup tonight.

 

[regulate]

I gather he is still sitting half of back to backs? Not in the lineup tonight.

Are you talking about Vilardi? He played tonight, he has no restrictions the last few weeks and has played a couple back to backs already.

 

[Ollie Weeks]

Are you talking about Vilardi? He played tonight, he has no restrictions the last few weeks and has played a couple back to backs already.

My bad, guess I missed him on the boxscore.

And yes, a question not regarding Kubalik in the Vilardi thread, its enough to throw anyone off for a moment.

 

[FrozenKing18]

Turcotte is the better prospect. Vilardi very well may be a terrific offensive weapon, but so is Turcotte who also plays 200 feet with a culture changing team first attitude that hates to lose.

Turcotte checks the same boxes, then a whole bunch more. Lots of reasons to be excited for both kids, and there is nothing wrong with having a good variety of high end players.

Honestly just glad we have them both. Excited that we have these two as the 1-2 punch down the middle in the future.

 

[No Name The Nameless]

I'm excited to see him do well. I hope he keeps it up so we can trade him before he breaks again. I'm not being mean or sarcastic. I'm being what I consider logical.

 

[Steve Zissou]

My bad, guess I missed him on the boxscore.

 

[Steve Zissou]

'I'm here for a purpose': Kings prospect Gabe Vilardi is...

Defenseman Tobias Bjornfot has been living with three other Reign players, including goaltender Matt Villalta. Vilardi and Villalta, both from Kingston, Ontario, are close friends, so Bjornfot has gotten to know Vilardi off the ice.

“He’s a tremendous hockey player and so much fun to watch,” Bjornfot said. “(Villalta) and Gabe are playing some FIFA (soccer video games) against each other. We are good buddies, too.”

Good to see the bonding with Bjornfot. Future leaders!

“Every day I’m here, I’m here for a purpose. I have to do the stuff for my body and obviously, I want to try to get better every day.”

Definitely reinforces what a lot of you who said he’s been playing with a purpose.

 

[FrozenKing18]

Right in front of the net and battles it out! I love it!

 

[Mats26]

Vilardi needs to lead this Reign team to the playoffs, hopefully he gets some help with Turcotte after his NCAA year ends and signs with us. Anyone who thinks he should be up now needs to look at Drake Batherson from the Sens. The AHL leading scorer and how the Sens are slow playing him until he is ready.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Vilardi missing so much time and immediately stepping into the AHL to make such a huge difference is unprecedented. What a warrior.

If he continues to stay healthy, Kings have an amazing future with Vilardi-Turcotte down the middle. Lombardi would have loved those two.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

I read the new Athletic article too on Gabe. He sure does have fire and seems fearless. He is driven too, saying he wants to get quicker and can be better. He's getting leg strength and his skating legs
back...and not getting fatigued. He will never be a great skater....it is what it is, but I expect him to improve some still in that area.

He is not quite ready to callup and why rush? At the same time, it would make sense to call him up after the trade deadline, if 2 or more are jettisoned - Toffoli? Lewis? Carter?
If 2 forwards are moved and Gabe is playing to optimum, that would seem like the best scenario. Yes, he could play the entire year in Ontario, but when you see what he's done in 9 games,
2.5 more months from now, he will probably be ready. When 2020-21 comes around, the 15+ (guess) NHL games will prepare him for 2020-21. It is unknown if Turcotte signs
and will be ready to step in, even. Though I suspect that's a good possibility. Would be nice to see JAD and Kupari get a few games in after the deadline. And if Martinez is dealt,
Bjornfot back up.

 

[kingsfan28]

'I'm here for a purpose': Kings prospect Gabe Vilardi is...

Defenseman Tobias Bjornfot has been living with three other Reign players, including goaltender Matt Villalta. Vilardi and Villalta, both from Kingston, Ontario, are close friends, so Bjornfot has gotten to know Vilardi off the ice.

“He’s a tremendous hockey player and so much fun to watch,” Bjornfot said. “(Villalta) and Gabe are playing some FIFA (soccer video games) against each other. We are good buddies, too.”

Good to see the bonding with Bjornfot. Future leaders!

“Every day I’m here, I’m here for a purpose. I have to do the stuff for my body and obviously, I want to try to get better every day.”

Do all the Reign guys live in the south bay too?

 

[kingsboy11]

Do all the Reign guys live in the south bay too?

I suspect that they would given that they practice at TSC now and not in Ontario. But living in the South Bay on a minor league salary can't be easy.

 

[RossLonsberryFan]

I suspect that they would given that they practice at TSC now and not in Ontario. But living in the South Bay on a minor league salary can't be easy.

Vilardi was paid a $92,500 signing bonus on June 1st.

 

[regulate]

I suspect that they would given that they practice at TSC now and not in Ontario. But living in the South Bay on a minor league salary can't be easy.

Most of them team up with other players so splitting the costs help, plus they get per diem and many have signing bonuses.

 

[Bandit]

Vilardi was paid a $92,500 signing bonus on June 1st.

Take that and double it and you might be able to afford to live on the west side.

 

[KINGS17]

Great post.

You're expectations (you can only set the bar at around 2-inches) are too high for that guy.