The unrestricted free agent market opens tomorrow at noon EST. While there has been talk of an internal cap, the Buffalo Sabres will look to be players on the market tomorrow. They will target some second-tier players to fit certain roles. They’re also willing to spend the money on a few free agents that they feel would make sense for their roster.

This year there are some decent players out on the market with teams having to be careful with their money. We’re also seeing a few restricted free agents hit the open market that we don’t usually see in a normal offseason.

Below you’ll find my list of the top 10 free agents that are realistic options for the Sabres to consider when free agency opens.

1. Alex Pietrangelo | Age 30 | RD

The only reason that Pietrangelo is on here is that the Sabres are going to try to get in on the conversation if he does hit the market. The chances of it happening are slim, but they’re going to try.

2. Tyler Toffoli | Age 28 | RW

According to a source, Toffoli is going to be a player that the Sabres target tomorrow. They’re willing to spend on the scoring winger and get creative with the contract details if they need to. As you’ll see below in Micah McCurdy’s chart, he’s a legitimate top six winger with excellent offensive impact.

It’s going to be hard to lure big names to Buffalo, but the plan is to go big game hunting with Toffoli.

3. Jesper Fast | Age 28 | F

Fast is going to be one of the more underrated signings on the market and he’s another player on the Sabres list of targets. I feel like there’s going to be more action around the two-way winger than some people think.

He’s so valuable in his ability to pull up and down your lineup. He can also play on either special team’s units. His actual production won’t know you off your feet, but his impacts are strong at both ends of the ice.

4. Craig Smith | Age 30 | F

Smith is another underrated forward out on the market. It’ll be interesting to see if he can replicate his production away from Nashville. Anthony wrote about him a few weeks ago on the site.

5. Alexander Wennberg | Age 26 | F

It has been a tough two years in Columbus and as a result he was bought out yesterday. Wennberg had a good playoff performance for the Jackets, but hasn’t come close to replicating his 59 point 2016-17 campaign.

He can be a low-cost, high-reward opportunity to be an effective third-line center for the Sabres.

6. Carter Verhaeghe | Age 25 | F

Verhaeghe was a cap casualty for the Tampa Bay Lightning and didn’t receive a qualifying offer. He has been buried down the roster on a loaded team. He’s an NHL player that can play a two-way game as a bottom-six center. I feel like there’s some offensive upside to his game as well, as you see below in Evolving Hockey’s RAPM chart.

7. Matt Nieto | Age 27 | F

That’s Long Beach, California Matt Nieto to you. The re-signing of Zemgus Girgensons makes him an unlikely target for the Sabres. If you want to discuss better options to play the role they Girgensons was signed to play, Nieto is one of them.

8. Jon Merrill | Age 28 | LD

Merrill is another low-cost target. He has good defensive impacts and could be effective in a third pair role. My biggest draw to him is putting back with his old partner Colin Miller. The two of them crushed third pair minutes together for the Vegas Golden Knights.

According to Natural Stat Trick, the pair had a 57% shot share (CF%), 59% shot quality share (xGF%), and 65% goal differential (GF%) in two years playing together in Vegas.

9. Kyle Turris | Age 31 | F

Turris is another buyout that hit the open market tomorrow. In the right situation I still think there’s some game in the 31-year-old. On a short term and cheap contract, he’s another player that fits filling the role of a third-line center.

Give him some scoring wingers and see if you can squeeze the last bit of hockey out of Turris.

10. Lucas Wallmark | Age 25 | F

Here’s another 25 to 30 points bottom six center. He may not have the defensive ability of Johan Larsson, but he does have some more offensive upside to his game. If the contract is right, I think he would be an upgrade over Curtis Lazar as the fourth-line center.

Data via: Hockeyviz.com, Natural Stat Trick, and Evolving Hockey

Photo Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports