The Buffalo Sabres made a notable change to their defensive pairings for Game 4 against Montreal—but it wasn't the one fans were hoping for.

Instead of inserting Michael Kesselring into the lineup, the Sabres turned to Luke Schenn. Kesselring, once again, found himself watching from the press box as a healthy scratch. And at this point, it's becoming increasingly clear that his time in Buffalo is running on borrowed time.

Kesselring, 26, is a pending free agent, and the Sabres would need to actively pursue re-signing him to keep him in the fold. But with limited playing time and a diminished role, the writing is on the wall: he may be better off chasing a fresh start elsewhere.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman recently noted that it's worth "keeping an eye" on Kesselring, suggesting he may not return to Buffalo. The defenseman arrived in the offseason as part of a trade with the Utah Mammoth—a deal that sent J.J. Peterka the other way and brought Kesselring and Josh Doan to the Sabres.

This season, Kesselring appeared in just 34 regular-season games, recording two assists, 38 blocked shots, and 25 hits. Despite his physical style, Buffalo rarely gave him a significant role. Even when he did play, he averaged just 13 minutes and 24 seconds of ice time.

In the playoffs, Kesselring has seen action only once—filling in for Logan Stanley in the first round. But that appearance lasted a mere 4 minutes and 25 seconds.

For a player entering his prime, that's hardly the kind of opportunity that builds loyalty. If the Sabres don't see Kesselring as a key piece of their future, it's hard to imagine he'd want to return for more of the same. The message from Buffalo seems clear: Kesselring's days in blue and gold are numbered.