Gabriel Vilardi has reached the point where fantasy hockey managers should stop looking at him as merely a complementary Winnipeg Jets forward. My 2026-27 fantasy hockey projection for Vilardi is 33 goals, 44 assists and 77 points in 80 games, with legitimate upside to challenge the 80-point mark if Winnipeg’s power play clicks.
Vilardi produced 30 goals and 39 assists for 69 points in 82 games last season, numbers confirmed by the Winnipeg Jets’ official statistics. He also scored those 30 goals on just 150 shots, giving him a 20.0 percent shooting percentage.
That shooting percentage is important. Expecting Vilardi to simply convert chances at 20 percent forever would make me nervous, but I don’t believe his fantasy value requires another 20-percent season. His path to another step forward is increased offensive volume, first-unit power-play production and continued deployment alongside Winnipeg’s best offensive players.
For fantasy managers, that makes Vilardi particularly intriguing: the floor looks relatively safe, while the ceiling may still be underrated.
Gabriel Vilardi’s 2026-27 Fantasy Hockey Projection Has 80-Point Upside
The biggest reason I am bullish on Gabriel Vilardi in fantasy hockey is his role.
Winnipeg has already used Vilardi as an important piece of its power play alongside Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey, with Cole Perfetti previously identified by the Jets as one of the players capable of filling out that unit. Perfetti then signed a new five-year contract with Winnipeg in July 2026, adding another element of continuity to the Jets’ offensive core.
Vilardi recorded 24 power-play points in 2025-26, which illustrates just how important special teams have become to his fantasy profile.
What I like most is where Vilardi does his damage. He doesn’t have to be the player carrying the puck through three defenders. Scheifele, Connor and Morrissey can create movement and shooting lanes while Vilardi uses his size, hands and finishing ability around the dangerous areas of the ice.
That type of role can produce fantasy points without requiring Vilardi to dominate puck possession every night.
Why Gabriel Vilardi Could Outperform His Fantasy Hockey Draft Position
My projection model starts with Vilardi’s 69-point baseline and gives modest positive adjustments for power-play opportunity, top-six deployment and offensive linemate quality. I also apply a negative adjustment for potential shooting-percentage regression.
That combination lands me at 77 projected points rather than simply extrapolating his 20-percent shooting rate into a 35- or 40-goal prediction.
The other encouraging factor is organizational commitment. Vilardi is signed through the 2030-31 season at a $7.5 million cap hit, so Winnipeg clearly views him as a significant part of its core rather than a short-term lineup piece.
For standard fantasy leagues, I’d be comfortable targeting Vilardi as a player with a 70-point floor if healthy, a 75-78 point expectation and an 80-plus-point ceiling.
The biggest risk is goal regression. If his shooting percentage falls significantly and his shot volume remains around 150, reaching 30 goals again becomes much more difficult. That’s why one number I’ll be watching early in the season is shots per game. If Vilardi starts generating closer to two or more shots per night while keeping his premium power-play assignment, I would become even more bullish.
Gabriel Vilardi Career NHL Stats
| Type | GP | G | A | P | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | 352 | 120 | 124 | 244 | 5 |
| Playoffs | 21 | 3 | 9 | 12 | -3 |
My fantasy hockey verdict on Gabriel Vilardi
I view Gabriel Vilardi as a strong 2026-27 fantasy hockey target, especially for managers who miss out on the obvious elite forwards. He brings goal scoring, power-play production and exposure to some of the Winnipeg Jets’ most talented offensive players.
Final projection: 33 goals + 44 assists = 77 points.
Would an 80-point season surprise me? Not at all. If Winnipeg’s first power-play unit is among the NHL’s better groups and Vilardi increases his shot volume, 82-85 points is within reach.
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