Winslow Townson-Imagn ImagesBuffalo Sabres’ forward Alex Tuch will be one of the most sought-after free agents during the offseason once July 1 rolls around.
Does it make sense for the New York Rangers to enter the Tuch sweepstakes this summer?
Tuch is coming off a season in which he recorded 33 goals, 33 assists, and 66 points while playing a top-six role for the Sabres.
Despite Drury expressing his satisfaction with the Rangers’ top-six forward unit, the team could certainly use a first/second line winger of Tuch’s caliber.
The 30-year-old forward would immediately slot into the Blueshirts’ lineup and be arguably their most lethal goalscorer.
Being from Syracuse, New York, it’s also not entirely out of the picture that Tuch would want to make his way to The Big Apple.
“I wish I could tell you the future,” Tuch said. “I’m going to do whatever is best for myself and my family. I don’t know how the talks are going to proceed. I don’t know what they (the Sabres) are going to say. I don’t know the future. But my main priority is my family.”
The Rangers will enter July 1 with around $27 million in cap space to work with, so they’ll have the ability to make a compelling offer to Tuch, but would it be a wise decision?
Tuch could be seeking north of $11 million AAV on a multi-year contract, which is a lot to commit to given his current age and his lower ceiling compared to some other star players making that sort of money.
The Rangers are also in the midst of a “retool” and are surely not ready to compete in the near future. Trying to fast-track their retool may very well have long-term ramifications for the franchise and contradict the team’s plan in place right now to accumulate more draft picks and prospects.
While the Rangers went ahead and signed Artemi Panarin to a seven-year, $81.5 million contract in 2019, one year into their rebuild, Panarin was younger at the time and has a far greater ceiling as a player compared to Tuch, who’s maxed out at a career high of 79 points.
There will in all likelihood be a number of teams looking to sign Tuch, and we’ll have to see if Chris Drury decides to throw his hat in the ring.