The Cheat Sheet panel discusses the upcoming 4 Nations Face Off Luke Tuch is the younger brother of Alex, who is a star player for the Buffalo Sabres [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/thompson-out-tuch-and-luukkonen-in-against-kings]. Their games are different and Luke will never be the scorer that Alex is but he has his own skillset. The Canadiens have let him carve his own path and that’s been important for his development. I saw Tuch develop during his time with the NTDP through his four-year career at Boston University. Every year there were some upticks in his game. First his speed, it’s good enough, then his strength. He has excellent power in the corners and that’s something that makes him good at puck possession. He’s not afraid to lay some hits either. The Canadiens took him 47th overall in 2020. Was it too high? I think so. I would have taken Alex Laferriere. I saw him at Harvard and was high on his play. But that’s water under the bridge. Luke was off to a good start in Laval but then he got an upper-body injury. He had four goals and six points in 14 games. In my viewings, I’ve noticed his hockey I.Q. He knows where to go without the puck and was a real asset in the AHL. Tuch will be a solid fourth-liner. He’s going to be 23 in March and he needs all of this season and all of next season to get ready for the NHL. All teams need that. Once a player is drafted, no matter the round, they are all thrown in the same pool and have to swim their way out. This is how Tuch gets to the NHL. Once he needed four years in college, this was going to be his path. Let’s see how he looks when he’s back in the lineup. I think he can build on his production. That's what I am looking for.
