Made some edits. Evan Rodrigues is significantly better at C than LW, but can play both. Putting him on Jack's line could very well expose his inability to play the position, although I believe he could easily do spot duty. Swapping Sheary and Erod make a lot of sense here, as Sheary has a lot of experience playing next to elite centers on top lines.
Scott Wilson will most certainly play over Johan Larsson. Botts brought him back on a two year deal. Larsson has been a massive offensive drag to anyone he plays with.
Tage Thompson was essentially granted "top 6 playing time" post-trade. Keeping him out of the lineup at this juncture would be silly. I know I have him slotted at 3RW, but Okposo needs a slick center to be useful, and he's paid way too much to not be useful. Start Thompson with some familiar faces and see where he goes from there. Nick Baptiste will fight for a wing position, and so will several other minor league prospects, including CJ Smith, Danny O'Regan and Justin Bailey.
On defense, the Sabres have 9 capable NHL defensemen. One or two will need to be traded. Depending on their value across the league and what Botts would want in a return, anyone not named Dahlin should be and is available. Brendan Guhle is still waiver eligible, which may force him to start in the AHL, but I put him into the top 6 simply because he's better than Casey Nelson, Matt Hunwick and Nathan Beaulieu. Botts expressed his affinity towards Hunwick after the trade, which suggests to me he'll be the team's #7 this year. Casey Nelson signed a 2 year deal and has 3 games of waiver eligibility left. Sneaking him through waivers should be close to impossible. This leaves Nathan Beaulieu, who could easily be sent through waivers, or traded to any team looking for a little depth at the 6 or 7 position.
I have some disagreements here..
Given how the GZm was last year filling the roster and forcing waiver free players to stay in the AHL I see...
With forwards...
Thompson in AHL
Pominville likely 14th F
Girgensons to 3RW
Larsson 4C
Bailey or Baptiste as 4RW and other 13F
For Defense....
The unknown which affects everything is..
1. Does Dahlin play his natural RD or does he play LD like he did last year.
2. Does buffalo sign Enstrom to a 2 yr contract to play with Dahlin in his rookie year.
As it stands now buffalo has..
RD— Ristolainen, Bogosian, Nelson
LD — Scandella, Dahlin, McCabe, Hunwick, beaulieu
Nelson signed a 2 yr contract and has to clear waivers. Cap friendly still has him in AHL.
Guhle could take a roster spot. I think they keep in Rochester. I would wait and see if he earns a job.
Others will disagree with me in thus...dahlin could spend first half in Rochester to adjust to BA game and have him nit accrue a nhl season thus he can’t get OS when ELC ends and if seattle exoansion is delayed to 21 he would be exempt but if a full year accrued he would need to be protected.
I think a trade will happen before the start if the season where something like a 2 or 3 from waiver elible players (Girgensons/ Larsson, bailey/ baptiste, McCabe/ beaulieu) for 1 player.
The first month buffalo has first dibs at waivers. They may want to create some roster room.