It just seems like every "kinda sorta wishful thinking maybe, but maybe it works out for us" type thing always blows up in our face.
Maybe Puljujarvi will string it together and be a reliable 18-20 goal scorer for us (so lets give him 3 million).
Answer: Nope.
Maybe Yamamoto will string it together after a decent year and now give us 18-20 goals this year (so lets give him 3 million)
Answer: Nope.
Sure Ceci has never played this high anywhere else, but maybe he can be a top RD in Edmonton and we can get away with it.
Answer: Nope.
It's a lot of money to pay Nurse, but maybe this Canadian division year isn't an outlier
Answer: Nope.
Sure Bear is a rookie, but he's playing well with Nurse on the top pair, maybe it won't burn us in the playoffs.
Answer: Nope.
Maybe Koskinen can grow into being a starter, he did have .917 that one year after all.
Answer: Nope.
Well ok, but Mike Smith is old but he's putting up decent numbers, maybe it can hold in the playoffs?
Answer: Nope.
Maybe we don't need to add an experienced NHL RD as a rental and can just make due with Desharnais/Broberg in the playoffs?
Answer: Nope.
Jack Campbell was great in the first half of the year for the Leafs, but awful in the 2nd half of the year, maybe we'll just get 1st half Campbell?
Answer: Nope.
Well, ok but Stuart Skinner will be solid for the Oilers in the playoffs? All we need is like .910 goaltending, surely he can give us that?
Answer: Nope.
It just feels like every time we do the whole "well, yeah maybe it's not ideal, but maybe it'll work for us", it always blows up in our face, lol. Never works out for us.