This summer has certainly been interesting for Gabriel Vilardi.
The 23-year-old was traded to the Winnipeg Jets at the end of June along with Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari and a 2024 second round pick with Pierre-Luc Dubois heading to Los Angeles.
Vilardi then signed a two-year, $6.875-million-dollar extension with the Jets on Wednesday avoiding arbitration.
He was in Toronto last night for a concert where he saw Post Malone.
"It was awesome," said Vilardi Friday morning.
"We were at the Budweiser Stage there, it was really cool, really fun. It was my first time seeing him, so it was pretty cool."
Vilardi - who is from Kingston, Ontario - is spending his second straight summer in his home province. The summers previous to that he was in Los Angeles rehabbing with the Kings training staff. He admitted that there aren't many players to skate with in his hometown, so he drives to other cities, like Ottawa, to get his on-ice workouts in.
He is now onto his third NHL contract after being drafted 11th overall in 2017 by the Kings and is happy to get his first deal with the Jets done.
"At the end of the day I don't really do much. Honestly, it's just my agent," said Vilardi.
"So, I just kind of hear what's going on and then he lets me know it's done and I'm like 'Oh, perfect ok'. It's kind of that, I'm happy it's over with and I don't have to think about it anymore. I can just keep going about my business."
Even the fact that his agent was negotiating with Kevin Cheveldayoff and the rest of the Jets management team for the first time didn't faze Vilardi.
"There was nothing to be nervous about for me. At the end of the day my job is to just play hockey," said Vilardi.
"I'm super grateful that Winnipeg believes in me, they traded for me so obviously things were going to get done. It was just a matter of when and now it's over with."
A month has almost passed since the trade and Vilardi admitted some nerves are starting to creep in about starting with a new team.
"I've never been traded before so it will be interesting. It's nice to have Alex (Iafallo) and Rasmus (Kupari) with so hopefully we can settle in a little quicker and feel comfortable as soon as possible," said Vilardi.
"It's just about playing hockey. I just want to feel comfortable and feel myself so I can play my game."
Vilardi will continue his summer preparing for training camp in the fall and will be keeping his eye on his favourite soccer team, Inter Milan. The former King has a huge passion for the Italian club who won the Coppa Italia and Super Coppa Italiana competitions, finished third in Serie A and almost won Champions League, falling 1-0 to Manchester City in the final.
"It was a good year, I think they honestly could have won that final, it's crazy. Everyone's like I think they had it. I honestly thought they were the better team," said Vilardi.
"It's tough. They can't compete with the Premier League, and now the Saudi League's just taking everybody. It's crazy, there's just no money. But yeah, I'm a big Inter fan as you can tell."
Vilardi has been an Inter fan since childhood thanks to his dad, and added that his girlfriend is still trying to understand how hard he takes any Inter loss.
"I do take them (the losses) pretty hard. She tries to figure out why I'm yelling at the TV," laughed Vilardi.
"It's kind of funny, she's learning. We do take soccer seriously at Inter."
