With training camp a little over two months away the Sabres will have a lot of roster spots up for battle. New GM Tim Murray and Head Coach Ted Nolan have stated since day one ice time will be earned not given. If the tone of prospect development camp was a slight insight into training camp, the coaching staff will be pushing competition and physicality hard. The goal of the Sabres offseason was to get harder to play against. I think they achieved their goal, perhaps too well and taking them out of potentially being involved for a top 2 draft pick in 2015.

On the bubble:

Going into camp a lot of players find themselves in a "prove it" situation. One player in particular is Patrick Kaleta. PK36 got into trouble with the NHL and then wore out his welcome with Regier and Rolston. Kaleta was on the verge of being recalled from being sent to the corner (Rochester) for being bad; when the Buffalo native tore his ACL ending his season. Kaleta has always been a favorite among fans. Kaleta is the type of hard to play against player GMTM is looking for, but he needs to clean up his game. He needs to go back to just being a hard player instead of a cheap player. If he shows he can clean his game up in camp I think he makes the opening night roster. Here are some other players that are on the bubble of the NHL/AHL/CHL:

-Andre Benoit, Matt Ellis, Brian Flynn, Mikhail Grigorenko, Jake McCabe, Nikita Zadorov, Rasmus Ristolainen, Zac Dalpe, Nic Deslauries, Torrey Mitchell, Chad Ruhwedel, and Mark Pysyk

Blue Line:

The Sabres blue line has only three players locked in to roster spots in the persons of Tyler Myers and newly acquired Andrej Meszaros and Josh Gorges. The remaining three spots are up for grabs between Weber, Pysyk, Risto, Beniot, Zadorov, Ruhwedel and McCabe. The future is bright on the Sabres blue line however I don't think the future is now. Pysyk, McCabe, and as hard is it may be to do Ristolainen will be sent back for more seasoning. Risto and Pysyk still have a good chance of squeezing into the final roster, especially Risto if he can build on his strong development camp. Zadorov is pretty much a lock to be sent back to London for one more season. This paves the way for Weber, Beniot, and Ruhwedel to fill the remaining spots. If the Sabres carry a 7th defenseman on the roster then I think the Sabres will either keep McCabe up with the big squad and let Pysyk and Risto play in Rochester. Also don't rule out another signing before camp starts like Benoit.

Forwards:

The top 9 for the Sabres in 2014-15 are pretty set with Girgensons, Gionta, Reinhart, Ennis, Stewart, Stafford, Foligno, Hodgson, and Moulson. The battle will come on the 4th line and depth players to fill in the 23 man roster. Flynn, Kaleta, McCormick, Deslauries, Mitchell, Dalpe, Grigorenko, and Ellis will all battle for these spots. Grigo is likely on his way to Rochester play top minutes and prove his attitude is changed. The 4th line battle will be so close and interesting to watch throughout camp. I know it's the 4th line, but the 4th line plays a pivotal part in today's NHL. Especially in Nolan's system of rolling 4 lines.

Goal:

Enroth and Neuvirth. Hackett will not return from his ACL tear until January at the earliest or he would enter the conversation.

Projected pre camp roster:

Moulson-Ennis-Stafford

Hodgson-Reinhart-Gionta

Stewart-Girgensons-Foligno

Kaleta-McCormick-Deslauries

Myers-Gorges

Meszaros-Weber

Beniot-Ruhwedel

Enroth

Neuvirth

Extra: Mitchell, Flynn, McCabe