Johnny Shuffleboard very often has to take on opponents that are better than him. That is basically due to not being very good at hockey, but look, he is getting paid to play the game anyways, so it's hard to complain.
Shuffleboard is a fairly gritty player. While not particularly large, he is not scared to get involved in puck battles in the corner. Due to his size he often loses them, but the battle itself can be an inspiration to his teammates. If the little guy can get involved in the corner, the big guns should too.
But as a whole, when playing the better teams in the league, Shuffleboard is usually just out of his depth. He tries hard, but he usually ends up getting carried by his defensemate, or finds himself stapled to the bench. There is a reason he only plays about 14 minutes a game. He just isn't good. His teammates are what he relies on.