In an interview with media on Wednesday, the forward for the Winnipeg Jets criticized Los Angeles Kings and former teammate Blake Lizotte for an incident that happened during their October 17 meeting.

Vilardi missed the last eighteen games for the Jets due to an MCL sprain sustained during the play.

“I’ve had a lot of games with him. Vilardi remarked, “He’s done a lot of little things like that.” “What you guys describe as an unpleasant fall wasn’t an awkward fall at all. Someone is pushing your feet out from under you, and he tackles me when he gets caught under me. That’s how easy it is.

Vilardi claims he was on the verge of leaving Winnipeg for the whole of the 2023–24 season, but he is anticipated to return to the team this week.

Vilardi went on, “It’s frustrating to look at stuff like that. I don’t think he’s trying to hurt me, but when you make plays like that, it’s a stupid play. It’s frustrating to think that I have to deal with what I’ve been dealing with for the last month and a half, and he sits in the box for two minutes.”

Before Vilardi was traded to the Jets in the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade, the two were teammates for the Kings from 2018 to 2023. Vilardi, 24, had one assist in three games prior to suffering an injury; in 63 games the previous season, he scored 23 goals and 18 assists for 41 points. Lizotte, 25, has four goals and three assists in 16 games this season.