Editor's Note: Loving the uptick in insightful FanPosts, keep 'em coming!

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With the Sabres rolling out season-ending injury notices for Robin Lehner and Evander Kane in the past few days, I’ve started to come to terms that next Friday will be the last Sabres game I see in person until next season. Did I think they were going to make the playoffs this year? No. However, I’d like to think I’m optimistic enough to give them every last chance, and then start the stages of coping without the playoffs.

Now that I’ve moved into acceptance, my mind gets all fired up thinking about the offseason. I would pay good money, or work for free carrying his coffee around all summer if it gave me the chance to be around GMTM this offseason as he wheels and deals his way to next year. Unfortunately, I’m not that fortunate, and I’ll just be moving from college to the real world in a boring job, so I’m left to contemplate what players on the Sabres are going to be back in blue in gold next season.

The Locks for 2016-2017 – Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, Ryan O’Reilly, Evander Kane, Rasmus Ristolainen, Robin Lehner

I don’t think I have to get into many specifics when I list off these names and say that it would blow my mind to see any of them not in blue and gold next season. Even if the Sabres were to win the lottery and take Auston Matthews, Sam Reinhart has carved his spot into this lineup as a capable winger, and while I hope he eventually does transition back to his natural center position, I’m not going to complain if he’s manning a line with Jack Eichel as center next season.

Obviously Murray is pretty wed to O’Reilly and Kane, as these acquisitions were his brainchildren. In addition, with regards to Kane, even if Murray was open to trading him, I doubt that many teams have Kane’s name at the top of their list, even after seeming to blend into the scenery of Buffalo pretty well this season. As long as Murray remains a competent GM, Risto will get the extension he deserves at a fair rate, and Murray’s not about to give up on Lehner after 21 games.

High Probability of Return – Nic Deslauriers, Cal O’Reilly, Hudson Fasching, Casey Nelson, Matt Moulson, Zach Bogosian, Josh Gorges, Brian Gionta

This group of players has an interesting mix as to why I think they will all be in next year’s lineup (AHL or NHL). With Nic Deslauriers, you’re looking at a guy that is the exact type of 4th line enforcer with skill every NHL team needs. Gone are the days of thug lines meant to keep things in line with fists of fury. Today’s NHL has almost no player left whose sole talent is fighting, and Nic Deslauriers is the type of player that provides just that right level of skill and grit to still be an NHL player. In the same way, Cal O’Reilly is the perfect call up for when injury strikes, and could even offer a solution as a potential 4th line center.

Hudson Fasching and Casey Nelson have both been exciting to see, even though it’s only for the final few games of the season. While I could have envisioned them as locks, I think at the end of the day, they’re still prospects, and if the right deal came along and one of them had to go, Tim Murray should at least consider the idea.

Matt Moulson and Zach Bogosian each have had a pretty rough go of things for this entire season. While Bogosian has started to come around a bit in the last month, it’s apparent that this is a down season for him. Moulson, of course is in the same boat, so much so that Tim Murray and Dan Bylsma openly acknowledge changing his workout routine is something they can only hope helps next year. These are guys that don’t have much if any value given their seasons, and unless Murray has some magic up his sleeve, they’ll be looking for redemption next year.

Josh Gorges and Brian Gionta both share a common trait in that they are the veteran leaders of their sides of the puck. While there are other veterans on defense, Gorges is the one with the "A" on his chest, and while the Sabres still need to improve their defense, it would take almost a total overhaul of the current defense before Murray moves Gorges. The same is said for the captain of the team. While the cap hit he carries is a bit steep, the deal expires next year, and in the second half he has really started to gel in a third line role with Johan Larsson and Marcus Foligno. There is always the chance that Gio calls it a career after this year, but I think he wants to play at least next season before he starts to contemplate that.

Probably Going to be Back – Marcus Foligno, Johan Larsson, Jake McCabe, Cody Franson

When it comes to this crop of players, all but Franson are restricted free agents at the end of the season. Again, Tim Murray needs to make improvements to the defensive side of the puck, and Franson’s offensive upside could hold value in a trade that frees up another roster spot and brings in a pick on draft day. His only downside is the injury that he suffered this season, but there isn’t reason yet to think he won’t be fully recovered.

Foligno, Larssson and McCabe are all guys that fill important roles on the Sabres. McCabe’s progression has been the most surprising and promising, and there’s real reason to believe that he can be a 4th defenseman on next year’s team. Foligno and Larsson of course have come together with captain Brian Gionta to form a checking line that plays well against other top lines, and also has provided a bit of a surprise scoring punch at times. I’d expect each to get modest raises, but if they demand more for some reason Tim Murray would hopefully think about replacement options.

Not So Sure – Chad Johnson, Zemgus Girgensons, Mark Pysyk, Tyler Ennis

I really wanted to put Chad Johnson in a more probable return group, but the simple fact is he holds a good amount of leverage with the way the season has gone. I don’t know that he necessarily has earned the right to get a shot somewhere else as a guaranteed starter, but I think he could snag a two-year deal somewhere else, where it doesn’t really make sense for the Sabres to sign him to more than one year.

Zemgus Girgensons and Mark Pysyk are two players that I think Tim Murray does not have penciled into the plans of the Buffalo Sabres’ future. Girgensons has been an asset in covering for Jack Eichel at times defensively, but overall has struggled, and I just don’t see where he fits in moving forward. He has trade value as he stands, and I think that you’ll see Zemgus included in some sort of offseason trade that the Sabres make. Same goes for Pysyk. I would have figured going into the season that McCabe would be the question mark for the future, but this season has reversed that. I can see Pysyk coming back in is as a 7th man rotating in, just because he’s low cost, but I think he’s a guy that could easily be tossed into a trade and not be missed severely. Overall, while these guys have value, I just don’t think there are enough spots to accommodate strengthening the lineup and keeping them around.

As far as Tyler Ennis goes, there's just way too much uncertainty around him overall, but I don't think that he fits with either of the Sabres top two lines stylistically, and I just don't see him getting dropped to the third line in Buffalo. I'd argue it's more likely he's traded, as he has more value to other teams with his skill set than the Sabres. Even though it might be selling low, I'd rather not try and have another season trying to fiddle with lines to accommodate him.

Probably Gone – Carlo Colaicovo, David Legwand

Vowels obviously provided NHL quality depth that the Sabres needed this season, as the Americans were pretty thin at defense. With that said, Tim Murray needs to make the defense better, and using Vowels’ roster spot on a new defenseman almost certainly would be a good way to do that. Legwand is in a similar spot. While he has definitely outperformed expectations and been a valued veteran presence, unless he’s coming back for a huge pay cut, I don’t think Tim Murray will see the value in bringing Legs back for next season.

Projected Offense (Question Mark signals player not on team)

So, where does that leave the Sabres? Obviously, a lot depends on the draft, but for the sake of coming to a conclusion based on my thoughts, this is a potential projected lineup that could be coming your way next season.

Reinhart-Eichel-?

Kane-R O’Reilly-?

Foligno/Fasching-Larsson-Gionta

Deslauriers-C O’Reilly-Moulson

Obviously I’ve made space for two wingers to be added to the fold in this, and have an issue with Marcus Foligno and Hudson Fasching. While I think that at the end of the day, they provide two different skill sets, I'm not convinced that Fasching will be ready to take on top six responsibilities next year, and that putting him on the third line would do him well.

Given that, I think this could result in Marcus Foligno being traded, but I'm not entirely sold on that so I leave it possible that one of them hops on the O'Reilly line. Another potential solution to this could be that Foligno gets moved, and Justin Bailey makes the NHL roster, but I think that Bailey spends next season bouncing as the injury call up guy rather than making the full jump.

Besides that, barring Matt Moulson's miraculous comeback season, I think Cal O'Reilly gets the NHL shot that he's earned this season, and that D-Lo rounds that out on the fourth line.

Projected Defense

Risto-?

Bogosian-McCabe

Gorges-Nelson

Franson

If all goes well for the Sabres in the draft, either the wing slot besides Eichel or the question mark next to Risto will be filled by our first round pick. Of course it’s possible that if it’s a defenseman, they play on the second pairing and McCabe or Bogosian moves up. Besides that, Casey Nelson’s spot is obviously not a guarantee for next year, but I’m comfortable for now leaving him in as a third pair defenseman with Gorges given the influence he had on Ristolainen, with Franson as the floater.

Projected Goalies

Robin Lehner

Chad Johnson

Finally, I think that you will see Robin Lehner and Chad Johnson as the 1-2 punch the Sabres carry. The Sabres might have to give CJ a little extra to keep him on a one-year deal, but considering that Lehner has to prove he can be healthy next season, I think it’s worth the insurance.

So, given everything that I’ve just projected out, any thoughts on the certainty of players’ returns and the amount of new faces that I’m predicting for the lineup next year? Thanks for giving my first post a read!