Spitfires’ Gabriel Vilardi named CHL Player of the Week
Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that 2017 NHL Draft prospect Gabriel Vilardi of the Windsor Spitfires is the CHL Player of the Week for the week ending March 5 recording nine points including four goals and five assists in three games along with a plus-minus rating of plus-4.
Vilardi produced a trio of multi-point performances last week helping lead the offensive charge for the Mastercard Memorial Cup host Spitfires who won all three games. The highlight of his week came Sunday recording a career-high five points including his second hat-trick of the season plus two assists as first star of a 7-1 win over the Sudbury Wolves. Vilardi and the Spitfires also shone in Sportsnet’s spotlight winning twice before a national audience against two CHL ranked clubs. On Thursday he scored a goal and an assist as first star of a 4-3 overtime triumph against the fifth ranked Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, then picked up two assists Saturday as second star in a 4-1 win over the fourth ranked London Knights. The Spitfires now carry a record of 39-15-5-3 and remain fifth in the OHL’s Western Conference standings.
A 17-year-old from Kingston, ON, Vilardi is playing in his second season with the Spitfires who chose him second overall in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection. With 28 goals and 31 assists for 59 points in 43 games, Vilardi is listed third overall among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting for the 2017 NHL Draft. He competed in January’s Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Quebec City scoring a goal for Team Cherry in their 7-5 win.
Also considered for the award this week was Tyler Wong of the Lethbridge Hurricanes who scored three goals and seven assists for 10 points in four games, and Mathieu Sévigny of the Drummondville Voltigeurs who scored five goals and two assists for seven points in three games.
2016-17 CHL Players of the Week:
Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Gabriel Vilardi (Windsor Spitfires)
Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Michael McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads)
Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Christophe Boivin (Acadie-Bathurst Titan)
Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Mathew Barzal (Seattle Thunderbirds)
Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)
Jan. 23 – Jan. 29: Tyler Boland (Rimouski Oceanic)
Jan. 16 – Jan. 22: Alexis D’Aoust (Shawinigan Cataractes)
Jan. 9 – Jan. 15: Kole Sherwood (Flint Firebirds)
Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Brayden Burke (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Adam Brooks (Regina Pats)
Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Vitalii Abramov (Gatineau Olympiques)
Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Hayden Hodgson (Saginaw Spirit)
Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Sergey Zborovskiy (Regina Pats)
Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Jayden Halbgewachs (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Alexander Katerinakis (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Nico Hischier (Halifax Mooseheads)
Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)
Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Bobby MacIntyre (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Kale Clague (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Jeremy Bracco (Kitchener Rangers)
Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Cameron Askew (Moncton Wildcats)
Sept. 26 – Oct. 2: Sam Steel (Regina Pats)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 25: Kameron Kielly (Charlottetown Islanders)
