With the exception of the four-year, $20 million extension of center Ryan McLeod on July 1, the Buffalo Sabres approach to contracts this summer has been basically ‘wait and see’. GM Kevyn Adams opted to trade JJ Peterka to Utah, rather than paying him on a long-term deal, and the club extended winger Jack Quinn, signed free agent forward Justin Danforth, signed defensemen Bowen Byram, Conor Timmins, and free agent goalie Alex Lyon on two-year deals.
The club is not in a position to wait and see on winger Alex Tuch, who is entering the final year of a seven-year, $33.25 million contract that he signed with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018. The Syracuse, NY native was acquired as part of the Jack Eichel deal with Vegas in November 2021 and has 106 goals for the Sabres in 281 regular-season games, including a career-high 36 goals last season.
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There has been little chatter to emanate from either the Sabres or Tuch’s representatives after the 29-year-old became eligible for an extension on July 1, other than there is mutual interest in getting a deal done, but logically, the term and AAV of the deal will be big factors. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts podcast relayed an interesting nugget regarding the new CBA and mentioned Tuch and other prominent pending UFA’s next summer.
Rumors indicated that there was the possibility that some of the aspects of the new CBA could go into effect prior to the start of the agreement in mid-September 2026, but that NHLPA Asst Executive Director Ron Hainsey indicated that would not be the case. Tuch was mentioned as someone that might be a candidate for an eight-year max deal while that length of extension was still available as an option.
Tuch is in a strong negotiating position with the Sabres, as he and Tage Thompson are the two most consistent offensive producers. It is likely with the salary cap going up after making $4.75 million the last seven years that the winger would be looking for a long-term deal in the same neighborhood of Josh Norris ($7.95 million) or Thompson ($7.14 million), but it is unknown whether the Sabres will go outside of their comfort zone and sign someone turning 30 next May to an eight-year deal.
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