Lou Dickenson's path to the NHL has been cursed.
How else to explain that the former golden boy is biding his time playing for the East Coast Hockey League's Gwinnett Gladiators, practically washed up at just 25?
Gwinnett is close to Atlanta and the NHL's Thrashers, but it might as well be Siberia where Sweet Lou is concerned.
Looking back over Dickenson's once-promising career, you can see how certain events blighted his situation.
He was the fledgling Mississauga Ice Dogs first pick (second overall) in the Ontario Hockey League's 1998 priority draft. That infamous team won four games in its first season.
Just one player from the first round of that draft is playing regularly in the NHL - St. Louis Blues' Brad Boyes.
Dickenson was a popular player in the OHL - shouts of "Louuuuu!" greeted him - but ended up playing for five different teams.
He was drafted 113th overall by Edmonton in 2000. The Oilers picked 10 players that year and, in total, they played just 80 games for the team. Easily one of their worst drafts, ever.
Since ending his OHL career in 2002-03, Sweet Lou has played Canadian university hockey, spent the 2004-05 season in Texas playing for three teams in three different leagues (AHL, ECHL and CHL), then Italy, Slovenia, Sweden and Scotland.
Still, Lou won't give up on the NHL dream.
"Dicky" is leading the Gladiators in scoring and playing on a line with a guy nicknamed "Diggler." Better if it was Datsyuk or Drury, but that's enough alliteration.
He is keeping that glimmer of hope alive in this hockey outpost, even after many teams gave up on him, some citing a lack of heart.
You'd think, though, that anyone who has taken his game to Slovenia has to be dedicated.
Lou's commitment will be severely tested in Gwinnett, especially if he wants another shot at the show.
He has to know, however, that he's all out of options.