The Buffalo Sabres are coming off their best season in 15 years.

After snapping the NHL’s longest playoff drought, winning the Atlantic Division, and making it all the way to overtime in game seven of the second round, the Sabres have a ton to be proud of.

They also have just as much to look forward to. A team that still has prospects on the way and young players ready to take larger roles, Buffalo is primed to be a team that’s here to stay for a while.

But like most teams who graduate from rebuilder to contender, the salary cap now presents a challenge.

As of now, the Sabres are slated to head into next season with just under $13 million in cap space. That might look like a decent chunk of change, but a lot of that money will evaporate in rather short order as the Sabres start to deliberate with their expiring contracts.

Restricted free agents include 21-year-old Zach Benson, who is coming off his entry-level deal and is due for a massive raise. Forward Peyton Krebs and defenseman Michael Kesselring are also pending RFAs, both with arbitration rights if they choose.

Meanwhile, their unrestricted free agent list is headlined by Alex Tuch, a 33-goal scorer and native of western New York who is reportedly looking for double-digits in his next contract. Beck Malenstyn is also heading towards the open market, as are several other lower-level players in the organization.