Vilardi was drafted in the first round, second overall, in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection by the Windsor Spitfires.[1] While Vilardi is a natural centre he primarily played as a winger with Windsor.[2][3]
Leading up to the NHL draft, Vilardi was seen as a top prospect and was ranked the No. 4 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting Bureau.[4]Craig Button of TSN described him as a big and strong centre with so much offensive upside.[5]
In the 2017–18 season, on January 1, 2018, Vilardi along with Sean Day were traded by the Spitfires to the Kingston Frontenacs in exchange for Cody Morgan and six draft picks.[6] On March 1, 2018, Vilardi signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings.[7]
Having recovered from his back issue, Vilardi found a more consistent spot with the Reign, playing 32 games in 2019–20, scoring 9 goals and 16 assists for 25 points. On February 20, 2020, Vilardi was recalled to the Kings from the Ontario Reign. He made his NHL debut later that night against the Florida Panthers. On his first career shot, Vilardi fired a wrist shot past Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. Vilardi set a new NHL record, scoring his first career goal 6 seconds into his first career shift. Vilardi added an assist in the second period on a goal scored by Martin Frk.
As a restricted free agent, Vilardi was signed to a one-year, $825,000 contract extension with the Kings on July 23, 2022.[10]
On June 27, 2023, Vilardi was traded by the Kings, alongside Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari, and a 2024 2nd-round draft pick, to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Pierre-Luc Dubois.[11] On April 4th, 2024, Vilardi scored his first career NHL hat trick in a 5-2 Jets win over the visiting Calgary Flames.
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