Because Janssen is a horrible NHL hockey player. He will not be in the minors - he wasn't last year, even when NJ was basically playing 7 forwards in 3rd periods. Vladimir Zharkov should go to Russia and the Devils deserve it - they deserve to lose a player who would help out. Because they insist on putting goon sized roadblocks in his way.
It's not even a league minimum contract. Janssen got a raise.
The whole Zharkov situation really is a head scratcher, but it seems to go in line with the whole disconnect there was for the majority of the season in regards to the fourth line.
Disconnect meaning, DeBoer kept saying how he wanted a fourth line that could play some quality minutes and provide some depth. However, the actions of the organization were the exact opposite in that Bolton and Janssen continued to play. Now, I know none of us are professional scouts, but when you are a fan of the sport for a long enough time, there's no question that you can tell when a player "has it" or "doesn't have it." Boulton and Janssen do not have it. Zharkov on the other hand seemed to do everything that you would want a fourth line player to do. He has speed, forechecks hard, has some offensive instincts, and isn't a liability in the defensive zone. And yes, his stats aren't impressive and he was the king of missing opportunities during his time in the NHL...but getting opportunities says a player is doing something right. Whatever the reason is he was overlooked and bypassed during the season, it just doesn't make any sense for it to be hockey related.
