Welcome back to the fifth edition of the “Jets Nation year in review” series to wrap up the Winnipeg Jets 2025-26 season. This series continues on throughout the summer month of June as we look at the individual seasons from Jets players throughout the 2025-26 season. I also take a look ahead to what the 2026-27 season may have in store for each player. Before I get any further, I have to say a big congratulations to former Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers, who captured his 1st Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday night. Tonight’s player of focus is Gabriel Vilardi, a top line winger who had a fully healthy season and recorded career highs in an all around successful season.

Following a mostly healthy 2024-25 season, Vilardi entered his 3rd season with the Jets with hopes of continuing to set new career highs. The chemistry that Vilardi gained with Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor on the top line last season didn’t go unnoticed, and it certainly benefitted Vilardi when he signed his new long term contract. The 26-year old forward from Kingston did much of what he did well in the 2024-25 season but slightly better, cementing himself as a key member of the Jets forward group.

Vilardi’s expectations for the 2025-26 season were to remain on the top line with Scheifele and Connor. That didn’t end up happening, as Scott Arniel moved Vilardi down the 2nd line at times in the season to give the Jets a different look with Alex Iafallo on the top line. Vilardi didn’t let that affect how he played though, as he looked comfortable with different linemates throughout the tougher stretches of the Jets season. Vilardi did remain on the top powerplay unit throughout the season, playing an important role in setting up and finishing opportunities on the man advantage.

After several seasons with injuries early in his career, Vilardi played his 1st full 82 game regular season. In those 82 games, Vilardi scored 30 goals, surpassing his career high of 27 goals from last season. Vilardi added 39 assists, five more assists than last season, for a total of 69 points, 3rd on the Jets behind just Connor and Scheifele. Vilardi set a new career high in penalty minutes with 24, which is still relatively low for a full season. Vilardi’s one stat that wasn’t a career high (for what it’s worth) was his +/- rating, which was a career worse -12.

Vilardi’s shooting percentage was well above the league average (around 13%) at 20%. While Vilardi isn’t necessary classified as a “pure scorer” or a “playmaker”, Vilardi has proven that he can do both in various situations throughout a game. Vilardi scored 30 goals on 150 shots, which is impressive given the lack of Jets depth scoring outside of the top line, which Vilardi wasn’t always on this season for reasons not related to his production.

After the non-playoff season was over, Vilardi joined Team Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland with his teammates Mark Scheifele and Dylan DeMelo. It’s been five years since Vilardi last repped the Canadian jersey, but he played a fairly big role on a well-rounded roster. Vilardi scored 3 goals and added 4 assists for 7 points in Canada’s 10 games, highlighted by two games with two points.

After a career best season, Vilardi is now preparing to enter year 2 of his current six year contract. At a cap hit of $7.5 million a year, Vilardi provides great value as a top line winger, and all signs point to him continuing to do so as he enters the prime of his career. Vilardi won’t become an unrestricted free agent until 2031 at age 31, which lines up with the same year as Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck’s contracts expire. Going into the 2026-27 season, provided that the Jets make an addition to their 2nd line, Vilardi should return to the top line full time with Scheifele and Connor.

Vilardi put past any injury concerns that he had earlier in his career, and he’s well on track to continue to produce as a top line winger with the chemistry he’s gained with Scheifele and Connor. Vilardi was the Jets’ nominee this season for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which highlights his on-ice performance and leadership qualities combined with his work off the ice with mental health advocacy. Jets fans keep taking more notice of Vilardi after his third season as a Jet, and Vilardi is looking forward to providing the fans and team with much of the same level of quality production in the 2026-27 season.

The 2026 NHL Draft will take place at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York on June 26th and June 27th. The Winnipeg Jets will be selecting 8th overall in the 1st round. Stay tuned for the next edition of the Jets Nation “year in review” series article coming in a few days!

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