Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch had an opportunity to vastly improve his free agency numbers with a great playoff showing.
Instead, Tuch failed to live up to expectations by dropping a giant goose egg on the scoresheet against the Montreal Canadiens. He did not register a single point in the seven-game second-round series.
On top of everything, he was a minus-8 on the series. Ouch.
The problem with Alex Tuch’s poor playoff showing is that he’ll be headed to free agency this summer. He passed on extending with the Sabres earlier this season because he had been holding out for a bigger payday.
He did just fine in the regular season, scoring 33 goals in 79 games. While he could have completely elevated his stature with a great postseason performance, he didn’t. He did not live up to his billing as one of the Sabres’ top scorers.
So now, questions will surround Tuch’s ability to be a big-game player. And it’s those questions that could very well hurt him in free agency.
Playoff Contenders May Think Twice about Alex Tuch
Playoff contenders out there looking to splurge on a big-ticket forward like Alex Tuch may have some reservations at this point. Namely, there could be doubt cast on his ability to turn it up in the postseason.
Perhaps he was playing through something in the series against Montreal. If that’s the case, it would have to be something major like a broken bone or torn ligament.
Otherwise, Tuch’s massive payday may have to wait. The 30-year-old may either have to settle for a decent contract with an up-and-coming team or potentially go to a contender and take less money just to have a chance to win.
Make no mistake, Alex Tuch is a one heck of a player. He should generate plenty of interest around the league. The issue, however, is that he bet on himself. And that bet did not turn out quite the way that he expected.
By failing to live up to expectations, Alex Tuch cost himself the payday he wanted. Contenders won’t pay up for him, potentially leaving one option for him.
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Tuch and Sabres May Reunite on Short-Term Deal
The best path forward, it seems, would be for Tuch and the Sabres to reunite on a short-term deal. Perhaps something like a two-year deal might work for both sides.
The former first-round pick from the 2014 NHL Draft is coming off a seven-year deal with a $4.75 million cap hit. Perhaps the Sabres and Alex Tuch can agree on something like two years at $7.5 million. Such a deal would kick the can down the road, buying Tuch more time to prove he’s the real deal.
Even at 32, he could get one last multi-year deal with a payday in the $10 million-plus range, which he is said to be looking forward to.
However, if Alex Tuch wanted to secure the rest of his career, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to sign a multi-year extension now at a lower price point. That may not seem likely, as Tuch purportedly left various offers from the Sabres on the table.
It’s too bad for Tuch and the Sabres. His poor playoff performance zapped any leverage he might have had in contract negotiations. For Buffalo, bringing back Tuch may seem like a questionable move at this point.
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