Particle.news
Download on the App Store
6 ARTICLES
·
2w ago

Jets Sign Gabriel Vilardi to Six-Year, $45 Million Extension

Having avoided arbitration, Vilardi’s US$7.5 million-per-season deal cements his role in Winnipeg’s emerging championship window

Winnipeg Jets centre Gabriel Vilardi prepares to make a pass as Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger, right rear, looks on in the second period of Game 4 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Dallas, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Former Kingston Frontenacs star and Kingston native Gabe Vilardi , who currently plays for the National Hockey League's Winnipeg Jets, talks to a young fan during an appearance at the new Pro Hockey Life store in Kingston on Friday night. Vilardi was one of several athletes to appear during the store's grand opening festivities, which ran all weekend long. The store is located in the RioCan plaza.

Overview

  • Vilardi’s six-year, US$45 million extension runs through the 2030–31 season with a US$7.5 million average annual cap hit.
  • The restricted free agent steered clear of arbitration after smooth negotiations led by GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and his agent.
  • Fresh off career highs of 27 goals and 61 points, Vilardi was instrumental in the Jets capturing their first Presidents’ Trophy last season.
  • Vilardi said he “loves Winnipeg” and embraced the team’s four-to-five-year opportunity to compete for a Stanley Cup alongside the club’s young core.
  • He welcomed the addition of three-time Stanley Cup champion Jonathan Toews, praising the veteran’s experience as a boost to the locker-room culture.