With preseason hockey less than a month away, fans of the Buffalo Sabres have commenced the annual task of lineup prognostication. With that comes the placement and anticipated performance of certain individuals who project to be roster regulars this coming season.
Like it or not, 2019-20 will be another evaluative year of sorts for the blue-and-gold. As of next summer, the Sabres will have just nine of their current NHL contracts remaining on the books. For several players (most of whom have just one year remaining on their current deals), their performance this season will determine whether or not Jason Botterill elects to keep them around to be part of the core moving forward.