On Saturday night, the Buffalo Sabres begin a four-game road trip with a stop in Washington to play the Capitals. It will also be the first time they will be lining up a long-time teammate in Alex Tuch, who joined Washington in a sign-and-trade this offseason.
There certainly will be some weird emotions for both sides, but for Alex Tuch, he seems to be excited about playing against his former team.
Alex Tuch is going to be watching out for that cheap shot from Zach Benson
He was asked what it is going to be like going into the corners against his former team. Tuch said it probably won't be that weird because he was doing it in practice for so many seasons, but then singled out one player in particular, jokingly, who he thinks might give him the first cheap shot.
"Honestly, I have gone into corners with those guys in practice so many times it is going to feel normal. I am waiting to see who's the first one that's going to give me a little cheap shot," Tuch said. "My money's on Benny [Zach Benson]."
Alex Tuch spent five seasons with the Sabres after being one of the pieces that the Vegas Golden Knights sent to Buffalo for Jack Eichel. In those five seasons, he would have 139 goals and 170 assists and emerged as one of the key parts of the roster.
He has continued that success in Washington with five goals and two assists through nine games. It is one of the reasons the idea of not re-signing him has been criticized, as the Sabres have struggled to replace his production.
With how long Tuch was with the Buffalo Sabres, it isn't at all surprising that he would pick Zach Benson as the one who might give him his first cheap shot. Benson excels at getting under the skin of opponents and frustrating them.
Benson, along with Noah Ostlund, is one of the reasons that Tuch is not on the Sabres, as general manager Jarmo Kekalainen prioritized extending his younger players. The Sabres didn't have the cap space to do that and bring back Tuch this offseason.
There is no doubt that it will be weird seeing Alex Tuch playing on the other side. However, the pressure is on the Buffalo Sabres to get a win and put the slow start behind them, which means they can't let this storyline distract them.
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