On June 27, the Jets acquired Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo and Rasmus Kupari (and a 2024 second-round draft pick) from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Pierre-Luc Dubois.
Dubois, a top-line center, had been with the Jets since 2021, though he was plagued by rumors of wanting out as early as the 2022 offseason. He would have become a free agent on July 1 had Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff not pulled off the blockbuster Kings trade last month.
The Jets have a solid defense helmed by alternate captain Josh Morrissey, who had a stellar 2022-2023 season. By adding the trio of forwards in Vilardi, Iafallo and Kupari, the team has more players in place to shore up scoring.
23-year-old Vilardi avoided arbitration when he signed a two-year, $6.875 million contract on July 19.
Vilardi is excited about playing in a Canadian market, Derek Van Diest reported. “It’ll definitely be a different experience going from the beach in L.A. where nobody knows you to Winnipeg. It’ll be fun, though, I’m excited,” Vilardi said.
The Ontario native was drafted 11th overall by the Kings in 2017. After facing injury-related setbacks early on in his career, Vilardi had his best season in the NHL this past season.
With 41 points in the regular season and two goals and two assists across five playoff games, the young forward is potentially on track to filling a top-six role.
“Hopefully I just want to keep growing my game and getting better, and obviously helping the Jets however that is,” he said.
A former Minnesota Duluth Bulldog, Iafallo had been with the Kings for his entire NHL career.
Since signing as an undrafted free agent in 2017, Iafallo has 204 career points at 29 years old. Iafallo scored three goals in six playoff games in 2023, including the overtime winner in game one against Edmonton.
Los Angeles’ head coach Todd McLellan said of Iafallo, “He cleans up a lot of messes, errors, mistakes, for teammates… But on the other side of it, he has the ability to score. He can go up and down the lineup, he penalty kills, he blocks shots, is a utility guy.”
With diverse strengths and six years of NHL experience, Iafallo brings reliable scoring to the Jets roster.
With the futures of their more veteran stars are uncertain – both Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck enter the final year of their respective contracts this coming season – the Jets may be turning to their younger contingent.
It may be time for the likes of David Gustafsson and Cole Perfetti to step up, and the newly-added Rasmus Kupari can slot in alongside his young peers.
The Finnish former King was selected by the Kings in the first round of the 2018 draft, 20th overall.
Having three goals and 12 assists last season, Kupari has room to grow, and certainly could, depending on which demographics the Jets choose to prioritize.
Kupari also brings physicality to his play, not unlike his now-teammate and alternate captain Adam Lowry, who also is not a leading goal-scorer.
Stay tuned for more NHL content, including off-season moves and prospect updates.
Featured content courtesy of NHL.com.
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