Winnipeg Jets center Gabriel Vilardi (13) skates with the puck during the first period against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn ImagesWinnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi is continuing his recovery process, skating in a non-contact jersey for the second consecutive practice.
Vilardi will be out of the lineup for Game 2 tonight, but is inching closer to a return. The 25-year-old has been out of the lineup since Mar. 23 after suffering an upper-body injury.
The Jets have two scheduled practices before Game 3 against the St. Louis Blues in St. Louis, providing him with the opportunity to skate with contact for the first time. It has not been revealed when he will return to full contract practices, but if the recovery process continues on the trajectory, it's not out of the question to see him take the next steps.
If the Jets can pick up the win tonight, it'll relieve some pressure off of Vilardi to accelerate his return date. By the time the playoffs start, most players are battling injuries, but the healthier teams can be by the later rounds, the better. Allowing Vilardi additional time to recover could be a huge boost.
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