After years of injury issues, Kings Gabe Vilardi is flourishing - Los Angeles Times
# After years of injury issues, Kings Gabe Vilardi is flourishing - Los Angeles Times
# Contributors
# Summary
It’s easy to forget, now that Kings forward Gabriel Vilardi is dominating entire shifts and controlling the puck as if it were magnetized to his stick, that a bad back nearly ended his career before it could truly begin.
# Players
# Staff
# Notes and Quotes
# Gabe Vilardi
There were several months — I wouldn’t say years, but several months — where I wasn’t sure if I was going to be playing hockey for my life, which is pretty scary because it’s all I’d ever known, all I ever wanted to do.
I think I had more to prove this year. I stay off social media because I don’t like to read it, but I don’t know who was counting me on the team this year, on the starting roster. I just worked hard this summer and I’m just taking the same mentality that I had this summer into the season, and so far it’s been good. But it’s a small sample size. I want to be a good player for a long time.
I don’t want to say it was a blessing in disguise, because I missed three years and that’s a lot of development, a lot of hockey that I missed, but I do have a better sense of my body, I think.
They drafted me to be a goal scorer or produce or help put up points. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do and it’s good I’m kind of doing it. I’ve got to produce. That’s my job, at the end of the day.
# Todd McLellan
With all players, you like to project and hope and all that type of stuff. But the number of setbacks he had, you wondered. But yet, you kept going back to the package and the skill and the talent and the brain and the hands.
# Luc Robitaille
To tell you was there ever any doubt, we didn’t know. We do know that every time he played at [minor-league] Ontario he was a dominant player. But at the same time, it takes time. I give the kid credit. His love for the game is the reason he’s where he’s at. You’ve got to really love what you do and not give up, and that’s one big thing about him. He’s got a passion for the game and trying to get better every day.
The kid was good at training camp. He was good last year at training camp too. He’s had good spurts. I think he’s earned his ice time by the way he’s played and what he’s shown. I’m really happy for him, I’ve got to tell you.
# Anze Kopitar
I remember his skill is through the roof. He’s got to be top in the league in handling the puck in tight spaces. He’s displayed it. And he very rarely loses a stick battle. I knew his skill was always there. His hockey IQ is very exceptional. Yeah, he’s just had a couple bad years with some injuries and we always talk about confidence, which couldn’t have been very high. He’s come to camp with a mission and, like I said, he’s been our best player.