I don't mind the top 6 changes to try to get things going but mostly because it implies that Vilardi is game ready (soon).

Heinola in for Schmidt is a bit of a stretch for me as he has been a decent 3rd pairing defenseman with Samberg this year. However, I do like the idea of sitting Pionk for a game or two as the guy needs a reset and hopefully he can bounce back.

Heinola normally does well with Pionk. But I do agree that Pionk needs to sit for one game

I'm a broken record about this but for the love of ****ing gawd until Vialrdi is back they need to put Nino onto the top line, Iafallo isn't working and line 3 won't change cause it rarely scores anyway, Nino's talent really goes to waste playing with those two stonehands

The vigil for change continues. lol. Morning skate lines:

Connor-Scheifele-Iafallo
Ehlers-Monahan-Toffoli
Niederreiter-Lowry-Appleton
Barron-Gustafsson-Namestnikov

Extras: Perfetti, Kupari, Vilardi (upper-body)

Morrissey-DeMelo
Dillon-Pionk
Stanley-Schmidt

Extras: Samberg, Miller

Hellebuyck
Brossoit

Edit: From Mike McIntyre (Free Press)

Is it just me or does it feel like its just back to the Maurice years doing the same things over and over and over again expecting different results... 😕

It does rhyme with what happened late in the Maurice era -- team isn't playing the "right way", tells team to play the "right way", team plays the "right way" for one period out of every three.

Separately, it looks like they have now swapped out Schmidt for Samberg on the third pairing.

I more meant from a line standpoint, Bones won't split up 55&81 like Maurice wouldn't split up 55&Wheeler, he also won't touch the Lowry line which was a constant for Maurice, feels like we're just back to those days.

Its so dumb, its not like the sky is gonna fall if 55&81 are separated for a game or two, the Lowry won't collapse if its tinkered with either. Those two things are certainties along with death and taxes, oh and Helle playing too many games even when he has a capable backup... 🙄

Am glad to see Stanley getting some more games, he's looked much better lately so see no reason to not get him in the lineup more often.