Player #4 – Alex Tuch, RW
Every top scoring line, either at the elite level or at the level that is starting to make waves, has its odd man out. For the Buffalo Sabres, that odd man out is Alex Tuch. But it’s not a bad thing, considering the way Tuch became a productive winger the second his skates graced the ice in the Queen City.
He ranks fourth, however, because of his smaller sample size in Buffalo. Now that he has become acclimated with the likes of Tage Thompson, Jeff Skinner, Olofsson, and others, you will see him hold the #4 ranking, at worst, for a long time. And he may even evolve into the best forward on the roster with a highly-productive season.
Not that his 38 points in 50 games wasn’t productive. But now that he gets a full camp and a full season, Tuch may be on the verge of going all-out here. If that occurs, don’t be surprised if he moves up a spot or two.