Gabriel Vilardi

Position: C/RW
2016-17 Team: Windsor Spitfires (#13)
Date of Birth: August 16, 1999
Place of Birth: Kingston, Ontario
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 192 lbs
Shoots: Right

When you look at the scouting reports for Gabriel Vilardi, two things stand out:

1. This is a big player, and he’s likely to get even bigger in the next year or two.
2. Every time he is on the ice, Gabriel Vilardi makes the players around him better.

When you consider that Vilardi won’t turn 18 for another three months, his size and speed set him apart from many of his peers in the OHL, but one of the most impressive parts of his game is the way he creates scoring opportunities without simply battering opponents around with his size.

He’s perfectly capable of throwing a big hit when it’s called for, but Gabriel is just as happy to send a tape to tape pass through a gap in coverage to set up his teammate for a shot or to put his own shot on net.

Defensively, he’s no slouch, and has been praised by several scouts for his willingness to chase down the puck and stay with the play, and once he gets possession, his strength and reach make him difficult for anyone to take him off the puck again.

With that package of skills and size, it’s not surprising Vilardi is projected to go in the top five picks of this year’s draft, but if for some strange reason he should fall, he would make a fantastic addition to the Blue Jackets’ forward depth.

Scouting Report: