Sabres’ Thompson on Tuch’s UFA status: ‘I’d love to have him back’
There’s a desire in the Buffalo Sabres locker room to keep one of their key pieces around for the foreseeable future.
When speaking to the media after the team’s loss in Game 7 to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night, Sabres forward Tage Thompson was asked about teammate Alex Tuch’s pending free agent status and whether Buffalo would want him back next fall.
Thompson admitted, without a doubt, he would love to have him back in the fold for the 2026-27 season.
Tage Thompson on Alex Tuch: "I can tell you that I’d love to have him back. He’s an ultimate teammate. He’s a leader on this team. He drives the bus for us. Guys in this room look to him. He’s vocal. He plays the game the right way. He’s a big, big reason we were where we were."
“I can tell you that I’d love to have him back,” Thompson said. “He’s an ultimate teammate. He’s a leader on this team. He drives the bus for us. Guys in this room look to him. He’s vocal. He plays the game the right way. He’s a big, big reason we were where we were.”
Tuch is at the end of his seven-year contract extension, which he signed with the Vegas Golden Knights in October 2018. The Syracuse native was one of the key pieces that was traded to the Sabres in the deal that sent Jack Eichel to the Golden Knights in November 2021. He has been a key offensive weapon for the team ever since, helping Buffalo go from a bottom-feeder to a playoff contender this past season.
During the regular season, Tuch scored 33 goals and 66 points in 79 games, marking the third time in the past four years he has reached the 30-goal mark. Not only did he help the Sabres reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 15 years, but he also posted four goals and seven points in the opening round against the Boston Bruins, driving his team to its first series win since 2007.
However, the 30-year-old received plenty of criticism in the Atlantic Division Final, failing to register a point in the seven-game series. That said, it’s hard to ignore the impact Tuch has had on the team, even with his shortcomings, as the team vied for a spot in the Eastern Conference Final.
According to PuckPedia, the Sabres have 35 of 50 NHL contracts signed for next season, with an estimated cap space of $12.9 million. They have a few other free agents to worry about as well, including Peyton Krebs (RFA), Zach Benson (RFA) and Logan Stanley (UFA).