NHL Rumors: Can the Sabres Get Alex Tuch Re-Signed?

Can the Buffalo Sabres work out an extension for Alex Tuch with a new GM in place?

The Chris Johnston Show: The Buffalo Sabres replaced Kevyn Adams with Jarmo Kekalainen as their GM this past week, and it will be interesting to see what that means for pending UFA forward Alex Tuch, according to Chris Johnston. Is there a new path to getting an extension done or will he hit the trade market?

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Julian McKenzie: “Is there anyone else you’d like to touch on on the trade board? I want to get to Alex Tuch. But I think Alex Tuch is part of a much larger story to discuss with the Buffalo Sabres this week, considering the change at GM with Kevin Adams being out, in favor of Jarmo Kekalainen.

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Johnston: “I think you have the perfect host transition then, because Tuch is probably the most interesting name.

I actually, I’ll tell you this if you want all the sausages made. I was working on this Sunday, Monday, you know, leading into the week, it didn’t drop till Wednesday morning. And Tuch was originally number one on the board, and I actually just knocked him down a few spots because of the way Jarmo Kekalainen and, you know, handled the question about tuch, you know, at his introductory press conference in Buffalo.

You know, I still don’t, by no means do I think it means he’s, he’s not being traded, but he was pretty forceful in that he’s going to take over that file. That they really want to keep Alex Tuch. You know, he did. He did utter the key phrase, but the player and the team have to find something that works for both sides, and that, that was a hurdle with his predecessor, Kevin Adams and Tuch’s representatives.

You know, they did have discussions in the fall, and at that time, the Sabres were unwilling to get to even $10 million a year on a contract. I think since then, the market for Tuch has gone up, if only just because the market’s gone up for players that brings some offensive ability. And obviously, there’s more to his game with his side and his size and his speed as well.

But you know, the Adrian Kempe, a deal that the Kings signed, you know, now seems like a kind of a floor, potentially, for Tuch. And so, you know, we’ll see if the Sabres as an organization, or Kekalainen now in charge, if he’s willing to maybe, you know, stretch a little further than Kevyn Adams seemed to be.

If not. I mean, it’s pretty clear, you know, what’s going to happen. I mean, I don’t think there’s any world even, even with the Sabres probably going to be in the playoff mix here, I would think. Like, I think it’s a fair sort of assumption that as we get close to March 6th, they’re going to be kind of within the line, the way I see it. It doesn’t mean they, don’t know if they’re going to be three points out or three points in. It’s probably not going to be secured but, but even then, I just don’t know if you could risk potentially seeing him walk for nothing at season’s end.

So I think that’s probably the biggest to me, immediate file Kekalainen and has to just sort of figure out what’s happening. It doesn’t mean he has to sign him tomorrow. But I think, I think he has to establish, is there a path still to get that contract done? Are there parameters that ownership for the Sabres are comfortable with. That the, Kekalainnen is comfortable with as the GM.

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And then, if not, he’s got to start, you know, planning out what the trade looks like. Because I do know there’s a number of teams around the league that would love to get in on, on, you know, trying to bring Alex Tuch in. You know, very enticing piece, I think, both short term for what he could do, but potentially someone who could be signed too.

So he didn’t get, he didn’t get dropped too far down with that press conference, but he did drop two unofficial spots in the trade board that, that wasn’t published.”

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