This can happen for forwards too though, Eberle was getting paid 6 million dollars in 16-17 and had 0 goals for us in two playoff rounds, RNH stank it up too, both got outscored by (checks notes) Anton Slepyshev, who actually had more goals than both of them combined and he washed out of the NHL entirely 50 games later.
We've had tons of whiffs on forwards in the McDavid era too, really the only forward we've signed or traded for after Chia's first year that's been a slam dunk has been Hyman.
Lucic bombed here, Strome bombed, Spooner bombed (lol), Athansiou was a waste of 2 2nds, Neal had to be bought out, Connor Brown was a big whiff at 4 million, Arvidsson is not having a good season, J. Skinner can barely get top 6 playing time. I wouldn't label Henrique a slam dunk either.
We have a terrible win/loss rate on forwards being brought in here too.
I wouldn't expect a GM to telegraph what they are going to do in a pre-deadline interview to any media source. You're better off looking at Bob Stauffer's comments for getting a read on where the management's head is at.