Buffalo Sabers can’t let Alex Tuch leave
Dave Pagnotta and Dennis Bernstein joined Steve Kouleas on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio, and the Buffalo Sabers and Alex Tuk were discussed. Pagnotta said the Sabers could trade him if an extension wasn’t signed. Everyone agreed that signing him is a must.
NHLRumors.com Transcripts
Steve Kouleas: “You mentioned Alex Tuch. Now at one point that ship looked like it was in the middle of the ocean. Now it’s close. So that changes over 10 in a row, one loss, and then the mini streak they were also on. What is that? 13-2 (now 18-3-1), we’re at the month with the Sabres? Now it’s been so good, they’ve just evened themselves out with everyone else, at 50-50 of the make the playoffs. So the Tuch thing is on hold.
Dave Pagnotta: “Well, it depends on whether they can sign them or not. I think they want to figure this out by the end of the month, I think. If Jarmo (Kekalainen) and the crew there in Buffalo feel like they can’t sign him, I think they trade him.
Kolace: “In January?”
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Pagnotta: “Before the trade deadline. I think they’ll do it this offseason if they feel like they can’t sign him. I think they’ll move him rather than lose him for nothing in the summer.”
Dennis Bernstein: “But Koul, the optics of that. It’s a revival there. They fill the building, right? And that’s just great. And so now you’re not going to sign this guy. Yeah, you gotta overpay for this guy to keep it going. Like that’s the signal to the fans, yeah, we’re in this. We’re keeping our guy. We’re keeping a guy from Syracuse who wanted to be here. Who wants to stay here. Who built? the house here. And now you’re letting him go to free agency You can’t do that if you’re Kekalainen. That’s the first big step: letting this guy go to free agency.”
Kouleas: “Does he want to stay?”
Pagnotta: “Tuch? I think so. He wants to stay if you pay me to stay.”
Bernstein: “He’s the only man they have to pay. All the others have been paid. Pay this man.”
Pagnotta: “And that’s what they’re trying to figure out now. Is the number 10? Is it 10 and a half? Is it 11? Is it 11 and a half? They’re trying to figure that out right now. Jarmo and Brian Bartlett, Tuch’s agent, are probably going to figure that out this month and go from there.”
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I imagine they’ll figure this out. Get a good indication of whether or not they can pull this off by the end of the month, and then try to figure out what that deal actually looks like during the Olympics. If it’s like that again, if the money isn’t digestible, I think they’ll move him. But they have to figure this out. And right on both of your points, guys, I think Buffalo is close to making this happen now.
NHL Rumors.com Note: The Buffalo sabers know what the price tag is for Alex Tuch. We have seen Kyle Connor expanding in Winnipeg, Adrian Kempe expanding in Los Angeles, and Martin Necas expanding in Colorado. The price range is between $10 million and $11 million per season on a long-term extension. Letting Tuch walk to free agency wouldn’t be ideal considering how important he has been to the Sabres. Tuch is part of the solution in Buffalo.
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