Seems like just a week ago (cause it was) that Gabriel Vilardi didn’t finish the game against the Stars in Dallas missing the third period of the game although he remained on the bench and after the game head coach Rick Bowness called it an upper-body injury.
The next day he didn’t skate in Texas but the bench boss of Winnipeg said afterwards “Well we’re hoping that he’s going to play tomorrow. We’ll see.”. That “we’ll see” turned out to be the top line winger being flown back to Winnipeg for further evaluation and meant he’d miss the two games remaining on that road trip.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
When the team got back to Manitoba we heard from head coach Rick Bowness after morning skate where he advised that Vilardi would not play the game on Tuesday night against the Kraken but would be coming on the road trip to Seattle/Vancouver. He thereafter indicated his next update would come on Friday.
However, Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press asked him today after practice at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle about the winger and Bowness indicated that Vilardi would not play in either of the games this weekend.
Tough news for the club who could use him and the talented forward who has been a big part of bringing the power play back to life.
