Buffalo Sabres Eager to Retain Alex Tuch
Buffalo Sabres General Manager Jarmo Kekäläinen has publicly affirmed the team’s strong desire to sign forward Alex Tuch to a new contract. During discussions on “The Eye Test” with Jimmy Murphy and Pierre McGuire, and later on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio, Kekäläinen underscored Tuch’s significance to the team. He highlighted Tuch’s role as a leader among forwards, playing the most minutes, contributing to both penalty kills and power plays, and being a valuable professional and teammate. Kekäläinen confirmed that negotiations are in progress, with the clear intention of keeping Tuch with the Sabres for the foreseeable future.
Tuch’s Contract Decision Potentially Post-Season
Despite the Sabres’ eagerness to re-sign Tuch, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported on “The Point” that the two sides are not close to reaching an agreement on a new deal. Kaplan indicated that Tuch’s representatives and Kekäläinen have discussed the contract, but they remain “not aligned on a number.” However, given the Sabres’ current push for a playoff spot, a trade involving Tuch is deemed highly unlikely. Instead, the team is expected to retain Tuch as an “own rental” through the trade deadline, with plans to iron out a long-term contract following the season. Kaplan’s assessment suggests Tuch is likely to remain in Buffalo.
