Now that Jimmy Vesey watch has officially come to an end, the Buffalo Sabres can get back to the task at hand of finalizing their roster for the upcoming season. In looking at the positions that are seemingly filled by players who are returning or have been added since last season, it becomes apparent that only a limited number of roster spots are currently available.
An NHL team can have a maximum number of 23 players on their active roster, consisting of 21 skaters and 2 goalies. Only 20 of those players are eligible to dress for any particular game, ordinarily comprised of 12 forwards, 6 defensemen, a starting goalie and a back-up goalie; but on occasion, especially when injuries abound, we may see teams employ other combinations, such as 11 forwards and 7 defensemen.