The Buffalo Sabres smoked the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 on Saturday night, further clamping down on their playoff spot. They have missed the playoffs in 14 consecutive seasons, an active streak only matched by the New York Jets. But at the upcoming NHL trade deadline, the Sabres are not going to be selling, which should mean hometown favorite Alex Tuch is staying in town. NHL.com has the latest before Friday's deadline.
“The Sabres have not made the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2011 and are set up to be genuine buyers for the first time in a long time. Perhaps the most important decision for them is the future of Alex Tuch, who could become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and who was discussed as a trade chip before the Sabres established themselves as a contender this season,” NHL.com reported.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the same on 32 Thoughts, all but confirming Tuch's future with the Sabres. “Buffalo is not a seller; they're going for it. The betting on Tuch is: ‘He's staying in Buffalo next week, whether there's an extension or not.'”
Tuch was sent from the Vegas Golden Knights to the Sabres in the Jack Eichel trade. A Syracuse native, he immediately became a fan favorite despite the pressure of replacing the former No. 2 overall pick. With 24 goals in 59 games this season, Tuch is closing in on his third 3o-goal season in five years in Buffalo.
But with his contract expiring after this season, the Sabres could have traded him at the deadline if they were out of the playoffs. But new general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen is pushing for the playoffs in Western New York. There may not be many sellers out there this year, but Buffalo cannot afford to sell, given where they are in the standings.
The Sabres continue their playoff push against Eichel and the Golden Knights at home on Tuesday.
