32 Thoughts | Winnipeg Jets operating under assumption Gabriel Vilardi will return this season

Six days ago we learned from Jets head coach Rick Bowness that Gabriel Vilardi would be out of the Winnipeg lineup as he dealt with having an enlarged spleen. Vilardi had been out of the lineup since the 3rd period of a game against the Stars in Dallas back on February 29th. We were told when they were doing testing for whatever ailed him they discovered the spleen issue.

When providing the latest update Bowness didn’t have a timetable for his return. When asked if there was concern this could go on for quite a while longer still the Jets bench boss said “Time will tell”.

It’s been a tough 2023-24 season for Vilardi who has missed 30 games for Winnipeg. He has dealt with two significant situations. First he had a sprained MCL that happened in game three of the season when facing his former Kings team, which was an injury he told us he was “pretty close to being gone for rest of the season”. And since the Stars game an ailment that was initially labelled an upper-body issue but also due to the enlarged spleen, which has cost him an additional 10 games to date.

There was definitely some uncertainty for his status this season but Elliotte Friedman in his 32 Thoughts article today wrote this:

“Winnipeg is operating under the assumption Gabe Vilardi will return this season, which is great to hear.”

Despite what they say about folks who assume this is good news for the team, which continues to battle for top spot, but would obviously be significantly deeper with Vilardi in the lineup.