The Buffalo Sabres' memorable turnaround season came to a close Monday night with a Game 7 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Alex Tuch finished the closely contested second-round series with zero goals, zero assists and a minus-eight rating.
It's hard to imagine a player of his caliber could have played much worse, and it's raised a few key questions as the offseason arrives: Will Tuch remain a member of the Sabres? And, if he doesn't, will his no-show performance against the Habs lessen his group of potential suitors in free agency?
Scott Bartlett, Tuch's agent, told ESPN's Greg Wyshynski he doesn't believe a single playoff series will have any tangible impact on negotiations with NHL general managers.
"He was very good in Round 1. These guys aren't robots. This is the game of hockey. There's stretches for any good player where things happen. It's not like he was not trying hard or showing bad body language or being completely ineffective. It's just the production didn't come," Bartlett said. "Again, these GMs are so used to that. I feel very, very confident that's not going to affect anything. He's not a 22-year-old player. This is not his first shot at the playoffs, where he just fell flat in his face."
The agent added: "I guarantee you it doesn't change a single thing as far as how he's viewed across the market."
Although it's true NHL front offices aren't going to completely disregard Tuch's strong 10-year NHL track record because of a seven-game sample size, his nonexistent production in Round 2 may certainly give them at least a moment of pause.
Remember, the Syracuse native is a 30-year-old winger who's seeking a long-term contract, likely a max-length deal of eight years with the Sabres or seven seasons with a different organization.
Giving any athlete a lucrative contract that runs until their late-30s comes with additional risks, so any concerning factors, such as going scoreless in a seven-game playoff series, are magnified.
Tuch is a rock-solid player capable of providing value in all three phases but he's not a superstar. His career-high point total is 79 in 2022-23, and that was the only season he's scored more than 67 points.
What will his production look like when he's in his mid- or late-30s? It's a question a lot of front offices will be asking if the 6-foot-4 power forward wants a max-length contract with an annual salary around $10.5 million, which has been his reported baseline asking price since last summer.
Make no mistake, Tuch is still going to get paid quite handsomely in the offseason, whether it's by the Sabres or another team. Thinking his poor play against the Canadiens won't have any impact on those talks may be a slight miscalculation, though.
Buffalo Sabres contract priority should start with Zach Benson, not Alex Tuch
As Tuch floundered against the Habs, fellow winger Zach Benson was wrapping up a tremendous postseason run that cemented him as a crucial member of Buffalo's future core.
Benson recorded nine points (five goals and four assists) and a plus-six rating in 13 games, and he was making a noticeable impact even on the nights where he didn't find the scoresheet. It's rare a game goes by where he's not the hardest working player on the ice.
The 21-year-old Canadian, who joined the Sabres as the No. 13 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, also posted a career-best point total during the regular season (43). It gives him some leverage as he enters the offseason as a restricted free agent.
AFP Analytics projected two possible contract outcomes for Benson: a $4,2 million salary-cap hit on a two-year bridge deal or a $7 million salary on a seven-year extension.
Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen should do everything in his power to lock up Benson for the long haul, just like he did with Josh Doan earlier in the season.
Benson and Doan spent a significant portion of the club's postseason run playing on the same line and they formed a dynamic duo. Their relentlessness on both the forecheck and the backcheck made them a nightmare matchup for opposing forward lines.
Buffalo should be focused on getting a Benson extension does as soon as possible because it will provide a clearer representation of the cap outlook, and it'll help determine whether the Sabres, who have limited financial flexibility, can afford to keep Tuch in the fold.
That said, it's also important to keep in mind players like Noah Ostlund, Jiri Kulich, Konsta Helenius and Bowen Byram are going to need new contracts in the coming years, too. Saving money for those younger impact players makes far more sense than overpaying Tuch.
So, the Sabres should probably let the impending UFA hit free agency. If another organization wants to meet his demands, it's best for Buffalo to let him go. But, if his market isn't as strong as his agent expects, perhaps he'll return to Western New York on a more team-friendly contract.
It'd be unfortunate if his otherwise terrific tenure with the Blue and Gold ends on an extreme low note, but not every tale receives a storybook ending.
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