Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch is playing in the final year of his seven-year deal, which he signed in 2018 with the Vegas Golden Knights. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.
The Sabres and Tuch have been trying to get an extension done all offseason and into training camp; however, they were unable to agree on a new contract, and now the two sides have decided to halt the contract extension negotiations, for now at least.
Tuch’s agent, Brian Bartlett, briefly spoke with insider David Pagnotta to discuss how the contract extension negotiations have gone so far for Tuch.
“I think we’ve all kind of decided that it’s best to just try to get some wins here… Alex is a leader on that team, both play-wise and kind of, you know, in the room. So he wants to focus on that, not have it a distraction, so we’ve wanted to just kind of let everyone know, like, we’re just gonna put this on the backburner for a little bit – doesn’t mean that we’re closing the door to signing, doesn’t mean anything, just means that, you know, for the time period, he’s gotta try to help the Buffalo Sabres win games.”
The Sabres are trying to break a 14-season playoff drought. Still, they will need to play better hockey as the team has started 1-3-0, with their only win coming on Wednesday night in a convincing 8-4 victory over the Ottawa Senators.
Should Sabres Fans Worry?
With the two sides having been trying to get an extension done since the NHL combine was being held in Buffalo in early June, they had an entire summer to try to get a deal done. According to multiple reports, Tuch and his camp are asking for at least $10 million per season; however, the Sabres were not in the same ballpark as Tuch. I feel it’s fine to stand your ground, especially if Tuch asks for $12 million per season, but to not even be close to $10 million for a player who has been one of the most consistent and hardworking players on the roster since being acquired in 2021 is an insult to Tuch.
Even though the two sides talked all offseason, I would not worry if I were a Sabres fan, at least not yet. With the Sabres in the position they are in, and how little success they’ve had over the last 15-20 years, players are going to ask for more money than they would if the Sabres were a winning franchise at the moment. Another thing that can drive the price up for Tuch is the recent contract extensions that Kirill Kaprizov, Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel and Kyle Connor all signed with their respective teams before the season started.
Related: What Makes the Sabres’ Horrendous Start Similar Yet Different From Last Season’s
The moment I would worry about whether Tuch is going to sign an extension is when the Olympic break occurs. Unless Tuch makes Team USA’s Olympic roster, I would assume the Sabres and Tuch would resume talks and try to agree on a deal before their season resumes on Feb. 25.
If no deal is reached by then, there is a slight possibility that the Sabres and Tuch could explore a trade if the team is out of the playoff race, as the NHL Trade Deadline is set for Friday, March 6, 2026.
With Tuch in the prime of his career, and with the NHL implementing a playoff salary cap starting in the 2026 Playoffs, so this season, teams could be willing to give up a little more than if there was no salary cap as Tuch would be a very valuable top-six forward to a playoff contender looking to improve scoring, special teams or acquire players who play a full 200-foot game. Tuch also carries a very low cap hit of $4.75 million, and for a 60-plus point player, that is a bonus to a team that is cap-strapped.
I would say, as far as a trade goes, that would be the last option for the Sabres. Tuch is one of the better two-way players on the roster and can do everything from play on the power play and penalty kill, to having a strong game even strength, he can do it all for them, so a trade would not make sense unless the two sides know they won’t get a deal done before July 1, but anything could happen from now until the then.
Tuch is an integral part of the Sabres’ core, and it would be a mistake not to do everything in their power to make sure he is signed past the 2025-26 season. The value he provides on the ice and the leadership he gives off the ice, he is a player that the Sabres absolutely cannot let go. We will see what happens with Tuch as each day unfolds.
