Alex Tuch has the Buffalo Sabres in a tricky spot.
The native of Syracuse, N.Y. is entering the final season of his contract, one on which he has been very effective since coming over from the Vegas Golden Knights.
It’d likely cost at least seven years and a total of $59.5 million to extend Tuch, according to The Athletic.
The 29-year is coming off a 36-goal, 31-assist season for the Sabres.
But he’s also a possible trade candidate for a Buffalo team that can’t seem to ever escape its rebuild.
“Another factor for Buffalo to consider is that there are very few teams selling right now, which could increase their return on Tuch, as some teams will be left empty-handed after the initial scramble of unrestricted free agency,” Pro Hockey Rumors’ Josh Cybulski writes. “Buffalo could wait a bit after July 1 to assess the trade market and see if any moves pique their interest; if not, they could then consider an extension.”
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Tuch’s age also means that if he gets a seven- or eight-year extension, he’ll likely be well into a decline by the end of the deal.
The Sabres really can only make this make sense if they think they’ll be good again in the next two to three seasons, which is a tough ask at the rate everything has progressed in Buffalo.
Tuch has suggested he wants to stay in upstate New York, which at least helps the Sabres out a bit. It’s a lot harder to negotiate with someone who doesn’t want to negotiate.
Now it’s just a matter of seeing how a deal might come together, or if a trade winds up being the smarter move for both sides.
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