Depends on the type of mistake. As an example, I can actually live with the mistake where the puck rolls off of his stick. It sucks, but the emphasis was a situation where the puck didn't settle and it was given up in a dangerous area of the ice. If it was a mental mistake, then yes, those are different. It is also possible that the mistake made was due to covering the play of another player, which can only be realized during tape sessions and seeing how the coverage was mapped out, based on a missed assignment somewhere else. Hard to say exactly what each scenario presents, but I understand what you are getting at, although I think that there are some mistakes that are either not as evident or can be "lived with."
Our veterans played better, however, our veterans were not as talented as what they are now either. So having vets who played better still means that their 80% good in 2015 is still worse than the 60-70% good of our current veteran group.
Playing on a 2nd PP unit can be granted for the most obvious reasoning - you are playing against one fewer opponent on the ice. Much easier to play a player in that scenario, as opposed to being in consistent 5-on-5 situations where every mistake gets exposed.
In a way though, let's look at comparable situations: Keller and Chychrun were both taken a year after Strome, yet have seen the ice far more consistently. These are the kids starting to trickle in, and while I am not 100% certain that Chychrun is all that he is cracked up to be, how are they able to earn their spot, if the players are meant to develop with us? Certainly doesn't sound like Keller and Chychrun are failing to develop, and I think that was an issue. Maybe Strome's ceiling isn't quite where it could be at, and if that is the case, I am okay with dealing away a player with a perceived higher ceiling that isn't being reached. That's where I think Strome's lack of playing time comes into play - he had a lack of development on his curve, where everyone else was at least meeting or exceeding their development path. Hoping for him to take that next step is not a reason to give him top time.
