McLeod and Bastian play completely different roles than Johnsson and are a lot bigger than he is.
Johnsson's role is that of a top-six forward and with the acquisition of players like Tatar, Palat and Holtz there is no room for him at the moment.
In fact, even Holtz and Zetterlund aren't in the New Jersey lineup at the present time.
Holtz and Z are on Ruff. He is like the rest of the Dinosaurs that stand behind the benches in hockey. They are extremely reticent to play a kid ahead of a vet when they should be easing them into the lineup so they can replace that vet, like Tatar. I don't care what any fan has to say. Young upstarts don't become game day players at practice.
They kept them up because They didn't want to wave them? Why not? Somebody else knows their potential and would snatch them up. Ruff doesn't play them anyways. You keep borderline vets at #s 13 and 14 for filler, not young kids with a seemingly high potential to become players. If you keep the potentials they have to play 50 or so games to work them up to NHL levels. Pressboxing them until enough injuries leave you no choice is not the progressive method.
Their mistakes will be there. That's called learning. You point those things out and practice those flaws out and watch it work come game day. It's not like the players on the ice for the Devils are mistake free. Far From It. They haven't lost any games because Holtz or Zetterlund gaffes killed them.
