Suppose a team hadn't made the playoffs in the last 13 tries and the team that does gets within a game of the Stanley Cup Finals. Absent any other analysis, explanation or models to follow, you might pin your dreams on repeating that arguable fluke of a run and thinking -- hey, why not us?

(Subsequent results. Subsequent results is why not us.)

Antti Saarela, erstwhile a feisty rookie with impeccable timing, followed up his impressive 41 point debut season with a less-than-desired 17, bounced over to Arizona in free agency and then was traded to Ottawa mid-season where he now heads up the squad in Binghamton. Or Belleville? Parts unknown. Sentimentality will get you nowhere.

One-time stalwart Captain Roland McKeown didn't fall on his face in 2025 but he did become a cap casualty, we have only to consider the tale of Dominik Bokk to understand how that goes. This is a mercenary league, only the very best are worth the money to lock down, the rest can beg for scraps in free agency and tend to go team-to-team on 1 or 2 year deals. Flexibility is everything.

Graham Knott (still here!) scored a league-leading 16 powerplay goals in 23/24. He hasn't scored one since, but he doesn't see much powerplay time whatsoever. Last year's absolute casserole of a powerplay wouldn't have kicked 16 powerplay goals out of bed on account of a few crumbs but did begin to fear an event horizon of futility was a distinct possibility so arms and other limbs were to be held inside the capsule until the risk of spaghettification had passed. Cause and effect are increasingly the same thing.
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