I think it would be Perfetti and Vilardi that get swapped, Vilardi is too slow for the checking line...But I still think Vilardi's role is to dig, which takes away some hits that Scheifele would take over the year, if he wasn't on that line.
I agree - Vilardi does a lot of stuff that might not show up on the radar when the other two on the line are so dynamic.
I think they leave him there - I have no doubt that at some point (hopefully soon) he'll start scoring from his strength around the net.
I've been watching him the last few games and a lot of his time out there is working the walls / battling - and that line needs that along with his added magic around the net (which should show up soon).
I think we also need to factor in how 55/81 work their offense - they love to play off each other and the 3rd guy can get ignored a bit at times. Vilardi needs to get to the net more and pick up some of the trash left by the other two - and I think that will come.
He's really the complimentary triggerman/net front guy on the top line. He doesn't drive play like the others in our top 6 and if he was finishing a little better we wouldn't be having a conversation about him.
I still expect 60 points and 25 to 30 goals from him while being sound in his end and on the boards. He does look a little slower this year or maybe that's due to us playing a faster team game, that his foot speed stands out more.
This -
I didn't read this post before offering my opinion above - but pretty much in line with surixon