Joki works hard and for a time people were high on him, but better players have emerged. So, it's not that Joki is bad at his position, he's just not as good as others. The disconnect comes when we don't differentiate between what is and what we hope happens. I think he is the fourth best defenseman on the team but if we meet the needed improvements, he drops down to third pairing.
I think Granato is trying to do right by his players and Joki isn't a guy who would necessarily become a whipping boy. Granato is a positive guy and judging by the on-ice product he is all about building confidence. He will remain positive of a guy like Joki because it is his nature and the culture he wants to cement. That is about as much as I would read into it though. I do not think it is indicative of Joki having some type of untapped upside that we fans do not see.