Jets sign Gabriel Vilardi to six-year deal with $7.5 million AAV

The Winnipeg Jets have signed winger Gabriel Vilardi to a six-year contract with a $7.5 million cap hit.

Vilardi was a restricted free agent after the conclusion of his two-year contract with a $3,437,500 cap hit. Vilardi had elected for arbitration, but both parties have reached an agreement to avoid that process. There is currently no information on any clauses or bonuses that come with the deal at this point in time.

With the deal, the Jets lock up Vilardi until he’s 31-years-old at 7.85% of the 2025-26 salary cap. He more than doubles his previous salary with the new deal, which is easily the highest cap hit he’s had in his career. He’s now tied for 63rd for cap hits among forwards, with his other cap comparable being Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson.

Vilardi had a career year in 2024-25, setting new highs across the board with 27 goals and 34 assists for 61 points in 71 games. His previous best had come in 2022-23 when he had 41 points in 63 games with the Los Angeles Kings, although he did do better on a per-game basis in 2023-24 when he had 36 points in 47 games.

Vilardi was the 11th-overall selection for the Kings in the 2017 NHL Draft out of the OHL. He made his NHL debut in the 2019-20 season, although it wasn’t until the next season that he became a regular in the Kings lineup. He played parts of four seasons with Los Angeles before he was traded to the Jets as part of the return for Pierre-Luc Dubois, and has spent the past two seasons in Winnipeg.

The Jets have had a relatively quiet offseason, as their only additions of note have been Gustav Nyquist, Tanner Pearson, Cole Koepke and Winnipeg-native Jonathan Toews, although they also lost Nikolaj Ehlers to free agency. They have around $10.5 million in salary cap space with four restricted free agents left to re-sign, highlighted by Dylan Samberg.