[hagakure]

I've tried searching the net for this but can't find an answer anywhere. I doubt this is a bug, probably just a lack of knowledge on my part about the WHL, though I've read their rules page on the real WHL website. I get that there is an age limit (16-20) and a limit of two OA players and two foreign players. That makes for a real challenge when building the team, but I like it.

What I can't understand is why I can't do some other things to fill my roster. After the very first season, when all my 19-20 year olds became free agents or got picked up by the NHL, I had to fill a lot of holes, but there was nowhere for me to go:

1. Almost all the free agents were considered OA, even if they were only 19. I signed the very few I could, but the rest were off limits.
2. Almost all my unsigned draft picks, new or historical, were too young -- even the 15 year olds though I had Justin Lies on my 2019 team at age 15 -- or they didn't want to play Major Junior. I managed to get maybe two players from there.
3. I can only call up JrB players who are under contract to me -- which was only two goalies that I didn't need. I can't seem to negotiate with the JrB team for any of the players they claim to have full rights for, and going to any of the other WHL teams to ask for rights to one of their JrB (or unwanted roster) players is only going to result in them demanding at least a 1-for-1 swap, so that defeats the point. No one ever seems to accept just draft picks.
4. I can't seem to negotiate with any team not in the WHL, even if it's another Major Junior league.
5. I can't seem to offer contracts to anybody else that my scouts report on. As above, they are too young, too old, I don't have the rights and can't trade for them, or they don't want to play Major Junior hockey. I'm not sure why my scouts waste my time reporting on guys in different leagues that I can't touch.

I'm in hardcore challenge mode so I can't go into Commissioner Mode and mess with the settings. How am I supposed to get a full roster under these circumstances? I have 22 players and one just got injured for 5 months. I'm kinda screwed here. Do all these restrictions exist in real life (like is a 19 year old considered OA if he will turn 20 at some point during the season?) or am I overlooking something in the interface?

Sorry for the long question; appreciate any assistance.

The attached photo shows what happens if I try to "Offer Contract" to any of the players contracted to BCB -- supposedly "my" farm team.