Jets head coach Scott Arniel informed reporters Monday that Gabriel Vilardi is out week-to-week with an upper-body harm, through the team’s color analyst Mitchell Clinton. Whereas Arniel declined to say what precisely is ailing the winger, he confirmed it’s unrelated to the puck he took to the ear in Sunday’s loss to the Sabres. The harm will depart Vilardi out of the lineup for the primary time this season and can result in both David Gustafsson or Rasmus Kupari re-entering the lineup.
Who strikes as much as Vilardi’s spot on the highest line with Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele stays to be seen, particularly because the line has barely been touched this 12 months. Vilardi’s appeared with Connor and Scheifele in all 71 of his appearances this season, and their 907 minutes collectively makes them probably the most frequent ahead line mixture within the league, per MoneyPuck. No different ahead unit has greater than 650 minutes collectively.
Per week-to-week designation might presumably finish Vilardi’s common season. Winnipeg has 11 video games remaining, and even a two-week absence – seemingly optimistic – means he’ll return with solely 4 video games left. With no firmer timeline, it’s potential he could stay unavailable for a portion of their first-round playoff sequence as effectively.
That’s unhealthy information for a Jets group that didn’t land an enormous fish on the commerce deadline, as an alternative choosing depth pickups Luke Schenn and Brandon Tanev. The 25-year-old Vilardi has set career-highs throughout the board along with his 71 appearances, 27 targets, 34 assists and 61 factors. Averaging over 18 minutes per recreation, he appeared to have lastly overcome his career-long harm bug that brought about him to common simply 40 video games per season over the primary 5 years of his NHL profession.
He’ll now miss important time once more because the Jets teeter on the verge of clinching a playoff spot. They’re nearly definitely slated for a Central Division title and a first-round matchup in opposition to the second wild-card group within the West, whoever which may be, however doing so with no participant who accounts for 11 p.c of their targets this season is a big blow. Vilardi is buzzing at a 20.8 p.c taking pictures fee however, as per normal for Winnipeg’s high line, has struggled to manage possession at even power. They’re all underwater of their shot-attempt numbers however have managed to manage 52.6 p.c of anticipated targets, per MoneyPuck.
Vilardi’s season hits pause amid a chilly streak. He’d gone with no level in his final 4 video games, compiling a minus-three ranking throughout that stretch. Nonetheless, he’s an enormous loss in the course of the ultimate month of the common season as Winnipeg seems to be to seal the deal on their greatest common season in franchise historical past.
