Will the Buffalo Sabers add Alex Tuch?
The Buffalo Sabers are playing much better. They have won six in a row and four in a row since making the GM change from Kevyn Adams to Jarmo Kekäläinen. However, Kekäläinen’s top priority with the Sabers remains signing Alex Tuch to a new contract extension.
“I will handle that situation, talk to their representatives. It always takes two sides to agree on a number that both feel is appropriate, not just for today, but going forward,” said Kekalainen when he opened the press conference. “Alex is a great hockey player. We value him, we love him, we want to sign him. I think that was clear all along. Now we have to agree on a number that works for both sides.”
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Whether that amount remains to be seen. But with Adrian Kempe getting $10.625 million a season with the Los Angeles Kings, Martin Necas getting $11.5 million with the Colorado Avalanche, and Kyle Connor getting $12 million a season with the Winnipeg Jets, Tuch’s camp wants double digits in AAV with the Sabres.
Elliotte Friedman reported that the Sabers offered Tuch and his camp about $7.14 million for the offseason when the two teams discussed terms of potential deals. While the Sabers may not want to exceed $10 million per season for Tuch, they have offered him more money to stay with the team.
If a player feels like the club can’t meet those needs, there’s a good chance Tuch will play elsewhere, according to Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Season, who joined Sirius XM NHL Network Radio when asked about the latest update between the two teams.
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Dave Pangotta: “Yeah, well, look, obviously, before the Sabers made their GM change over the weekend, it was the status quo, and it still is, technically, in terms of the Sabers and Alex Tuch and their contract negotiations. That will, in some ways, change here in the not too distant future. As you know Jar’ made it clear that Jar’ signed.
They should get a number, saying all the usual things, but it’s going to cost them, and if the Sabers aren’t ready to give Alex Tuch a significant amount in salary, at least double that. It is possible that at some point he will play elsewhere, whether it is towards the end of this season or next season. So that’s what they have to decide.
They just have to decide what that number is, what that park is, what will keep everyone happy at the same time, Jarmo Kekäläinen and the Sabres, but especially Jarmo will have to convey the message and the plan to Alex Tuch.
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Here is how we will move forward. Here is what this will look like. Here’s how long we think it will take, and we’ll go from there. I have to think that those discussions will happen relatively quickly.
He wants to get this business out of the way, but that, I have to think, is the first number of Jarmo Kekäläinen, who is in charge in Buffalo, to find out what happens with what may be given in the scene, which is now one of the most valuable free agents going forward in the summer. “
And, with a thin free agent pool at the forward position this summer, if Tuch gets there along with Artemi Panarin, both could get paid.
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