In November 2021, the Buffalo Sabres acquired winger Alex Tuch from the Vegas Golden Knights in a trade that saw the Sabres trade away franchise cornerstone Jack Eichel. Both players have been phenomenal for their respective teams thus far. Since the trade to Buffalo, Tuch has played in 281 games, recording 106 goals, 137 assists, and 243 points.
On Oct. 19, 2018, the Vegas Golden Knights signed Tuch to a seven-year contract worth $4.75 million a season. Now, with the contract expiring after the 2025-26 season, he becomes eligible for a contract extension on July 1. There are questions surrounding what the Sabres should do with him already. Should they extend him or trade him?
Extend or Trade Him
Tuch has been a core piece of this Sabres team for the last four seasons. As one of their top two-way forwards and a leader, both on and off the ice, he has become one of their most important players. They cannot afford to make the mistake of not extending him this summer, as he is a vital part of the organization.
The Sabres and his reps met at the NHL Combine, which was held in Buffalo from June 2-7. Nothing came of the meeting between the two parties; however, some reports have already surfaced about what a potential contract could look like for the 29-year-old winger.
According to Chad DeDominicis of Expected Buffalo, if a deal gets done, it’s more likely to be in the five-year range rather than a seven-eight-year deal, and the average annual value (AAV) could be around $9 million. With the salary cap expected to rise over the next few seasons, paying Tuch $9 million per season may not be such a bad move. Especially for a player coming off his second-best season in his career, where he tied his career high in goals (36), and having scored 20-plus goals in each of the last three seasons, he has earned a payday.
There’s zero reason to let Tuch walk in free agency next offseason. With his value at an all-time high, if no deal is agreed upon, there’s no harm in trading him. Doing that should be the last possible option, though. Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams has had instances where he traded a player when their value was at an all-time high, but did not receive enough in return to be able to compete right away. Like trading away Eichel. Getting back Tuch was great at the time, but they also received a B-level prospect in Peyton Krebs, who had been up and down between the minors and the NHL, and acquired a 2022 first-round draft pick, which they used to draft Noah Ostlund at 16th overall.
Sabres Should Prioritize Extending Tuch
One of the Sabres’ main priorities should be to sign Tuch to a contract extension. He is what the Sabres need to win hockey games right now. He still has a few seasons left in his prime, and if the Sabres want to make the playoffs, they need to hold onto him.
A player who has the grit, who is willing to block shots, put his body on the line, and do what it takes to win hockey games is the exact player the Sabres need right now. With the report of a five-year deal worth around $9 million AAV, the Sabres would be making the right decision to give Tuch that contract. Not only would he be 35 when the deal expires, but also if he keeps producing at a 60-point pace, while being one of the league’s best two-way forwards, the $9 million will be worth it. The Sabres need to stop worrying about their future cap space and pay their players what they deserve at that time. We’ve seen them extend Dylan Cozens on a long-term deal one season after he had a career season; he struggled after that, then got traded to the Ottawa Senators for Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker. They extended Mattias Samuelsson, and he has played less than 50% of the team’s games since then, due to injuries.
In Tuch’s situation, he has shown the organization why he’s worth every penny of not only his current deal but also his future deal. Don’t worry about him being a 30-year-old power forward. Worry about what he brings to the team now, not whether his play will decline a few seasons into his new contract. That’s where the Sabres sometimes get into trouble—having cap space that’s not being utilized but used to improve the team. Extend Tuch as soon as possible, that’s the first step towards making the playoffs next season.
The Sabres have numerous decisions to make this offseason, and the most significant one is what they plan to do with Tuch. Every Sabres fan and media member I’ve discussed this topic with would like the Sabres to keep him beyond the 2025-26 season. He is a fan favorite around the fan base and is one of the hardest-working players in the organization. The Sabres cannot mess this up and either trade him or let him hit the open market next offseason.
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