He's also worse than both of them on a given average. Some of the hate is intentional satire because, why not? But it isn't without warrant. No one faults the guy for being overused - that's AV. Alas, it does not change when asked to do anything above the 13th forward role, he is underwhelming at best. Granted, he has played better during this stretch. So I'll give him that.
If you're looking for the scapegoat. That would be David Booth. Scapegoat usually refers to a player who is good, yet attracts a surprising amount of dislike and has every play scrutinized as a result. Edler is a lesser extent might count too.
The other two scapegoats, Glass and Rome were actually arguably being used in situations that they shouldn't have been. Glass on the 3rd line when we had better healthy players, Rome over Ballard. Both were regulars in the lineup whenever we were fully healthy despite there being better options.
Ebbett is a 13th forward who is only given a bigger role because this team is decimated by injuries, and is only getting PP/PK time because he's a more experienced veteran than guys like Schroeder or Kassian. He's a guy who is rightfully kicked out of the lineup whenever the team gets healthy.
I don't see any misusage personally. Venting frustrations out on him is just projecting your frustration over unfortunate situations that are beyond his or the coach's control.
And for all the complaining we've done, he's been an even player on a better offensive pace than Lapierre or Weise, while being on a 27 point pace last season.
For the limited role he has and the limited ability he has, he's done a fairly admirable job filling in short term both this season and last, IMO.
18gp, 5g, 1a, 6pts, +2
18gp, 1g, 3a, 4pts, +0
Weise: 32gp, 3gm 3a, 6pts, -3
Booth: 12gp, 1g, 2a, 3pts, -3
Looks fine to me, especially given that he's expected to do far less than these other guys and is given more difficult minutes due to circumstance.
The only thing you can argue is that Schroeder should be in ahead of him at all times, but the reason he isn't has more to do with developmental strategies rather than being unfairly considered less of a favorite.
Also, I see no reason/evidence a scapegoat is supposed to follow your definition.
And for the guys complaining that he doesn't excel in any one area, he's less of a liability/isn't incompetent in any one area, either. His shot is fairly adequate, his hockey sense is fairly adequate, his playmaking is fairly adequate, his defensive awareness is fairly adequate, and he isn't a twig that gets easily pushed around.
Pretty decent 13th forward who was only awful for a short stretch at the beginning of the year (when everyone was awful), IMO.