Tuch is an unrestricted free agent, and Byram becomes eligible for a contract extension on July 1.
Buffalo Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen has a number of different directions he could take this summer, but has limited cap room to work with, which will likely be a factor in negotiations with free agent winger Alex Tuch. The 30-year-old, along with Tampa Bay defenseman Darren Raddysh, will be the most hotly pursued free agent target on July 1, and his staying in Buffalo may be conditional on the Sabres meeting his asking price.
With so much money in the market, with the salary cap going to $104 million this summer, a number of clubs could outbid the Sabres and be willing to pay Tuch as much or more than Kings winger Adrian Kempe’s $10.625 million AAV, which he agreed to during the season. The Sabres have just under $13 million in available cap space, and Kekalainen said that he is interested in extending winger Zach Benson and defenseman Bowen Byram.
“(Alex is) a consistent goal scorer, he's a valuable part of our team, but just like I've told him, and I tell everybody in the same situation, we make our decisions based on how can we make our team better,” Kekalainen said last week. “We have to come to an agreement that this is the type of contract (where) we can still make our team better, and hopefully we can do that.”
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The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that things are status quo on talks with Tuch, and that seems to be where the two sides have been since negotiations started last September. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said last week the Sabres and Tuch’s representatives were apart on a deal, and there has been speculation that clubs may be willing to offer as much or more than what the Sabres are paying team captain Rasmus Dahlin ($11 million AAV).
LeBrun also said that Kekalainen is slated to meet Byram’s agent, Darren Ferris, in Buffalo at the NHL Draft Combine next week. The blueliner, who turns 25 next month is under contract for one more year at $6.25 million, and becomes eligible to sign an extension on July 1.
Although it was said that Byram likes it in Buffalo, the possibility of hitting the open market next summer with the cap going up again at the age of 26 has to be an attractive prospect for the BC native. Ferris has a reputation of taking his clients to market (like Mitch Marner), so if the Sabres are successful in signing him, it is possible that they have to pay him more than Owen Power’s $8.35 million AAV and closer to Dahlin’s salary.
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