Building on Jame's post from yesterday, if the "skeleton" for next year features a core of Eichel, ROR, Mittelstadt and Reinhart up front with Guhle, Risto and Scandella on the backend, Botteril has his work cut out for him in terms of supporting that group with quality depth.
(I'm only going to address the forwards right now because this post was getting super lengthy.)
Currently contracted forwards for 18-19 (excluding Moulson): Okposo, Pominville, Girgensons, Larsson, Rodrigues, Nylander, Porter, Cornel, Criscuolo, Pu, Karabacek.
Likely forward prospects to be signed: Asplund, Olofsson.
RFA forwards heading into 18-19 (excluding Reinhart): Wilson, Baptiste, Bailey, Griffith, Fasching, O'Reagan, Smith, Malone.
UFA forwards this offseason: Nolan, Josefson, Pouliot.
So the Sabres have nine "non-core" forward spots to fill with the above pool of players (plus trades, FA, and the 2019 pick if it's a forward).
Stating the obvious first, none of the three UFA forwards has earned another contract and I think rewarding any of them with one, given how replaceable their roles are, only perpetuates a losing culture that surely exists in Buffalo.
I do think every RFA forward has earned another contract, but the only that has a spot on my 18-19 roster is Scott Wilson. None of the others (again, excluding Reinhart) has made a clear-as-day case for an 18-19 roster spot, though I do think Baptiste and Bailey filling out the 12/13 spots is probably fine given their waiver eligibility.
I could see both Asplund and Olofsson putting up a fight for a spot but both will likely start in Rochester.
Moving onto the contracted forwards, things get muddy. The only player on this list that I'm confident has secured a depth role based on play is Rodrigues, who has shown to be a valuable complimentary piece offensively (despite some maddening tendencies).
Given contract status, as much as I'd like for them to find a taker, Okposo probably has to be penciled in. Girgensons and Larsson have, in my eyes, played their way out of meaningful minutes, and the skill really isn't there, but I'll take both back as fourth liners (ONLY fourth liners) to play with a legitimate veteran acquisition, or a younger Baptiste/Bailey that wins the job in camp. That line lacks skill and won't produce much, but I could see it being tough to play against and energetic.
Pominville, I'm sure we'll all agree, should be moved. I don't think he'll be on the roster next year (though I don't know how that happens).
That leaves me with the following forward "skeleton":
Rodrigues-Eichel-Okposo
Wilson-ROR-Reinhart
Xxx-Mittelstadt-Xxx
Girgensons-Larsson-Xxx/Baptiste/Bailey
Baptiste/Bailey
Xxx
I suspect a few people are going to complain about the positions Wilson, Okposo, Rodrigues, etc. are taking on here. Don't get hung up on the "lineup", but keep in mind that this isn't going to be an overnight process. They aren't going to sign some "stud 30-goal first line elite LW" to play with Jack. Okposo isn't going away. They need to bolster the core incrementally with smart, under-the-radar additions.
I don't expect a "splash signing". I'm filling the Xs with good NHLers that won't break the bank. Calvert as a third liner or solid fourth liner. Riley Nash for the same role. A fast, productive Grabner for the third line (though he may be in demand). Etc.
Obviously there are variables at play here that change the makeup of this roster. Nylander could impress enough. Olofsson, Asplund and Malone could make some noise. They could draft a maybe-ready forward in the draft. I don't know what kind of acquisitions Botteril is going to make.
But either way, it's going to take a couple seasons for the quality of the depth to catch up to the quality of the core.
Purging the roster of hardly-NHLers is a necessary start.