Last season, the respective performances of Linus Ullmark and Carter Hutton left something to be desired. Despite the fact that the Buffalo Sabres will likely feature the same tandem in 2019-20 (barring something unexpected), they’ll have a revamped supporting cast in front of them, defensively.
The improvements that Jason Botterill has made to the blue line in the past few months, are undeniable. Since April, he has added several positive impact contributors, particularly on the right side. While these acquisitions will likely help take some of the pressure off of the Sabres’ netminders, they too must show improvement if the team hopes to find itself in the playoff conversation next spring.