Buffalo Sabers Can’t Let Alex Tuch Go
Dave Pagnotta and Dennis Bernstein joined Steve Kouleas on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio, and discussed the Buffalo Sabers with Alex Tuch. Pagnotta said the Sabers could trade him if an extension is not signed. They all agreed that they should sign him.
Writing for NHLRumors.com
Steve Kouleas: “You mentioned Alex Tuch. Now, that ship at one point looked like it was in the middle of the ocean. Now it’s close. So that’s more than 10 changes in a row, one loss, and then it’s a mini streak that they were on. What is it? 13-2 (now 18-3-1), we have a month? 50-50 to make the playoffs so the Tuch thing still stands.
Dave Pagnotta: “It depends on whether they can sign them or not. I think they want to clarify this at the end of the month. If Jarmo (Kekalainen) and the Buffalo staff, if they think they can’t sign him, I think they trade him.
Kouleas: “January?”
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Pagnotta: “Before the trade deadline. I think they do it this season, if they feel they can’t sign him. I believe they will move him rather than lose him for nothing in the summer.”
Dennis Bernstein: “But Koul, optics on that. It’s a revival right there. They’re filling the building, right? And that’s great. And now you’re not going to sign this guy. Yeah, you’ve got to pay this guy to keep going. Like that’s a signal to the fans, yeah, we’re in this thing. We want to keep our guy in Syracue here. Who wants to stay here. Who makes a home here. And now you’re going to let him go free.
Kouleas: “Do you want to stay?”
Pagnotta: “Tuch? I think so. You want to stay if you pay me to stay.”
Bernstein: “He’s the only guy they have to pay. Everyone else is paid. Pay this guy.”
Pagnotta: “And that’s what they’re trying to figure out right now. Is it number 10? Is it 10 and a half? Is it 11? Is it 11 and a half? Like, they’re trying to figure that out now. Jarmo and Brian Bartlett, Tuch’s agent, will probably figure that out this month and go from there.
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I would think they understand this. Have a good indication of whether they can get you out at the end of the month, and then try to find out from the Olympics what that contract looks like. If it happens again, if the money is not palatable, I think they will move him. But they must understand this. And on both of your points, guys, I think Buffalo probably needs to make this happen now. “
NHLRumors.com Note: The Buffalo Sabers know what Alex Tuch is worth. We’ve seen Kyle Connor expand to Winnipeg, Adrian Kempe expand to Los Angeles, and Martin Necas expand to Colorado. The price range is between $10 million and $11 million per season for a long-term extension. It wouldn’t be a good idea to let Tuch go in free agency, given how important he was to the Sabres. Tuch is part of the solution in Buffalo.
