As we head in to the summer months, Sabres news dries up, and we end up speculating, pontificating, and wondering as best we can what the Buffalo Sabres might look like next year.
As we head in to the 2013-14 season, the Buffalo Sabres once again have too many defensemen to keep up in Buffalo. There are currently ten players who are under consideration, but only seven will stay. Today we ask: who do you think should stay up with the big club?
Four spots are assured in Buffalo – those of Christian Ehrhoff, Tyler Myers, Henrik Tallinder, and the newly re-signed Mike Weber. They’re a lock.
After that, things get a bit murkier. Jamie McBain has the highest remaining salary at $1.8 million, and significant NHL experience. Alexander Sulzer was just signed to a one-year contract for $725,000, but seeing as how few, if any, other teams seemed interested in him, either player could get put on waivers to go down to Rochester. The Sabres would be taking a bit of a gamble, but they might think it’s worth it to keep one of the following players in Buffalo.
Mark Pysyk, Chad Ruhwedel, Brayden McNabb, and Rasmus Ristolainen can all move freely between Buffalo and Rochester, and offer the most flexibility for the Sabres blue line conundrum. However, they may also the most potential for the future, so the decision of where they should play needs to be handled with care.
Come training camp, there will be ten players vying for seven spots. In the comments, let us know which three you think the team will keep in Rochester.