Why are we expecting or entitled to sign "difference makers" in free agency when so few difference makers actually make it to free agency? Like I said before, this is probably less about scouting and more about what is actually available in free agency. I don't think there is anyone is pro-scouting that told Yzerman that Andy Copp was going to put up 70pts as a number two center on the Wings. The Wings knew what they were getting. The conversation was likely more along the lines of we know what Andy Copp has done historically, we absolutely need another center, he is likely the best player available to us who can play any center at all in free agency, he is going to cost us but we absolutely need another center and have nothing close to ready in GR, if we hit in the draft or free agency in the future, we can always bump him to the wing.....
Where pro scouting has likely failed us is in the trade market, not free agency.