Former first round pick Gabe Vilardi could soon be traded.

It seems as though once promising forward Gabe Vilardi may have worn out his welcome in Los Angeles.

Vilardi came into training camp looking like he had taken a real step forward in his development, a development process that has often been hampered by injuries, but after some lackluster play for the Kings this season he finds himself in the American Hockey League for the first time in nearly two years. It can't feel good for Vilardi but as unhappy as he might be with his situation it seems as though the Kings may be ready to move on.

The Kings selected Vilardi in the first round (11th overall) at the 2017 National Hockey League Entry Draft, but in spite of that he has gone on to appear in just 71 games for the Kings since being drafted. This season he got just 7 games before being made a healthy scratch, recording a single goal during that stretch of play, and after a trip onto the league's Covid protocol list he now finds himself on the outside looking in.

All of this doesn't mean that Vilardi will be traded, but there have certainly been rumblings that would lead you to believe it is a possibility at the very least. Recently Lisa Dillman of The Athletic speculated on two possible destinations for Vilardi should the Kings seek to trade him, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Arizona Coyotes.

From Dillman:

Someone like Vilardi would find the pipeline not nearly as crowded in Florida as it is in Southern California.

The rebuilding Arizona Coyotes — a team at the opposite end of the competitive spectrum — look like a possible landing spot as well.

Interestingly enough two members of the Kings scouting staff were spotted taking in a game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Islanders last week, a sign that Dillman's hunch regarding the Lightning may have something to it.

While the Kings may be ready to move on I suspect that they may also be reluctant to trade away a player they once viewed so highly, especially considering he could live up to that potential on another team in the end.

Vilardi picked up a goal in his very first game back in the AHL with the Ontario Reign, and if he continues to have a good showing there he will likely bolster interest from around the league and potentially his trade value as well.