WHAT SHOULD CASSIDY DO WITH PASTRNAK TONIGHT?

While he's definitely not the only one, David Pastrnak hasn't been playing very well in the playoffs.  With the Bruins down one game to two and still in Columbus, a victory tonight is huge.  

While I am well aware that we don't have a player to replace Pastrnak when he's playing healthy and playing well, surely we can do something based on what we are all seeing as of late on the ice.  Let's be honest and consider some actual facts about Pastrnak.  Sure he's had scoring droughts before, but this isn't the same thing.  Knowing that Pasta hurt this thumb and had surgery recently, I don't think he's truly healthy.  Sure he can skate and play the game, but he's not healthy enough to play "his game".  Pastrnak has some incredible puck skills which he relates to his years playing street hockey with a bouncing ball.  The guy usually has incredibly soft hands.  Expecting him to be the same player he was before the injury isn't very logical.  While some players would be able to bounce back easier from the same injury, those other players aren't necessarily skill players like he is.

While on social media I have been a proponent of taking him out of the lineup for the time being, that probably isn't really possible.  Actually putting some thought into the situation of the team and the likelihood of Pastrnak not being fully recovered from his thumb surgery, this is my more logical solution.

​Pastrnak should start the periods on the first line and switch to the third and fourth line as the period progresses.  He also should only be part of the powerplay if it is real early in the period.  These suggestions are based on the theory that early in the period his thumb is probably at its best and as the period gets underway it becomes a hindrance.