It’s no sure thing that one of the biggest names on the market re-signs with the resurgent Buffalo Sabres this off-season.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, there’s “still a gap” in negotiations between forward Alex Tuch, a pending unrestricted free agent, and the Sabres.
“I just heard — I’m careful with this because there’s still time, and things can always change with one phone call — the word from the combine, I’ve heard from a couple different people, is that there hadn’t been a lot of movement,” Friedman said in Wednesday’s episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast. “That there’s still a gap.”
In a relatively weak free-agent class, Tuch looks to be one of the best players available on the market after posting a productive two-way season in Buffalo, finishing with 33 goals and 33 assists in 79 games.
Tuch, a Syracuse, N.Y., native, spent the past five seasons with the Sabres, helping them to their first playoff berth since 2011 last season. He joined the team he grew up cheering for ahead of the 2021-22 season as part of the deal that sent former captain Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights.
But he looks to be in line for a solid raise after playing out the final year of his seven-year, $33.25 million ($4.75 million AAV) contract signed with the Golden Knights back in 2019.
“Now I had a couple people tell me he’s definitely testing free agency, and I said, ‘Guys, I’m not going there, because who knows what could happen?'” Friedman said. “There’s still a couple weeks, deadlines spur action, nobody has to do anything now. You can always do it later, or closer to July 1st, when everybody shows their cards.
“The one thing that I definitely did hear is that there’s still a gap. There’s still work to be done there.”
According to PuckPedia, the Sabres have a projected cap space of $11.95 million this off-season.