Kingston native getting ready for Canada-Russia Series, upcoming NHL draft
Gabriel Vilardi poses in his Windsor Spitfires jersey. Photo courtesy of Aaron Bell/OHL Images
BELLEVILLE – Gabriel Vilardi, a Kingston native, is in his second year as a forward with the Windsor Spitfires and is getting a chance to take part in the 2016 CIBC Canada-Russia Series.
As an Ontario Hockey League all-star, Vilardi was selected for the series, and will be travelling to North Bay for the first game (for the OHL team) on Thursday and then to Hamilton for the second game Nov. 14.
He did take part in international play for Canada’s Under-17 team in 2015, but says this will be the biggest event he has ever taken part in.
While he is still only 17 years old, he seems to be handling all the media hype surrounding this event with great maturity.
“I’m not too worried about that (media hype), I’m just worried about going out there and having a good game and helping the team win,” he said.
Vilardi says he is lucky to have someone who has gone through much of what he has to go to for advice, his brother, Francesco Vilardi.
The elder Vilardi played three full seasons in the OHL from 2013-2016 (with a one game cameo in the 2012-2013 season), and now plays for Queen’s University in their hometown of Kingston.
“He helped me a lot growing up. I looked up to him and I learned a lot of my stuff from him,” said Vilardi. “Even when I got drafted (into the OHL) he just told me to play my game. He said the rookie year is a tough year and then go from there. And that’s what I took into my OHL career.”
As well as being an all-star in the OHL, he is being projected by many NHL Draft projection websites to be selected in the Top 5 and at the very least within the Top 10.
And because his brother was never drafted into the NHL, this is something Vilardi won’t be able to look to him for.
But lucky for him, many of the players he will be playing with this week have and he says he will be looking to them for lessons on what to expect.
“A lot of those guys are drafted already and I’m one of the younger guys,” said Vilardi. “I’m going to look up to them and see how they prepare for games and try and learn different things from them and try and take it into my draft year and help me out.”
Vilardi says he realizes the importance of these next few months for his career, but is trying to keep his mind off of it.
“I’m just worried about playing my game. There’s so many different rankings and stuff. So if I payed attention to it all I would go crazy,” he said. “I’m just worried about myself.”
The series takes place over six games, with Russia playing the all-stars of the Western Hockey League, Quebec Junior Major Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League for two games apiece.
QNet News will be in attendance for the game on Thursday in North Bay to cover the game and interview Gabriel Vilardi on how the experience went.
Stay tuned for more.
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