Despite Production Drying Up, Vilardi Still Effective With His B Game

Last updated Dec 20, 2022 Edit Source

• News post

• Austin Stanovich

Gabe Vilardi has come crashing back down to earth. After a red-hot star that saw him post 10 goals and 15 points in his first 15 games. He’s grabbed five points in his last 18 games, with just three goals.

• Gabe Vilardi

• Todd McLellan

# Todd McLellan

I think he is. For [Gabe Vilardi], he’s likely jumping on the plane or going to bed tonight and thinking about the 13 goals he had in, I don’t know how many games it was. I think somebody mentioned he was on pace for 55 and we naturally, quickly, squashed that because of this type of run. He’s getting opportunities, no different than Kempe was. Getting opportunities. I think it will go for him eventually. But in the meantime, when this happened to him in the past, there wasn’t much else there. Right now, he’s got a physical part of his game, he’s running a power-play unit that’s dangerous, he’s doing some pretty good board work and he’s pretty good defensively. So, you have three or four other things going for him where that wasn’t happening in the past.

Just making sure I’m playing good defensively. I think that’s the most important thing, winning my puck battles on the boards there. Obviously, I’m not producing the way I was and the way I want to be. But I just have to keep sticking with it and keep getting more shots, I think that’s the biggest thing for me right now.

I think a bit of both, progression playing at wing for a longer period of time. I really worked on my board work during the summer and video helped during the summer. And yeah, the B game just knowing that if you’re not producing you can still help the team. And obviously, the most important aspect for this team and our system is defense and checking. It’s what Todd emphasizes a lot so make sure you’re solid defensively.

Not really, it still sucks. I’m a goalscorer, I’m a guy that likes to think I can put up points in this league and it’s good when you’re getting looks and chances but you have to convert those eventually.

Yeah, I think throughout my career I’ve had games that I’ve played well and showed that I can dominate at this level. And at the start (of the season) it was good that I had a month of really good play and producing well and I just have to simplify maybe. I think when things aren’t going well, I try and do too much or pass on an open shot instead of taking it. So that’s something I’ve got to do, shoot more.