Will he stay or will he go? That's been the biggest question surrounding Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch throughout the season as each passing day moves him one step closer to becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen will have to decide before the 2026 NHL trade deadline, which is scheduled for March 6, whether to trade Tuch or keep him as a potential "own rental" with the understanding he could leave for nothing in July.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported Tuesday on the latest edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast that Buffalo's front office has so far been sending a clear message in trade talks.
"They're gonna have an interesting decision to make with Alex Tuch," Friedman said. "What I've heard about the Sabres is, they're not gonna make their team worse. Yeah, you can't. I'll say this, that's a team with a lot of picks and prospects. Unless you get a ridiculous offer, I'm keeping him right now. I mean, you've got two weeks out of the Olympics to see if it changes, but if I own the Sabres I'd be like, 'If it continues this way, he's our own rental. We're going for it.'
"And I've heard they told people we're not making our team worse."
That stance matches the growing fan sentiment. Although it seemed obvious Buffalo would have to trade Tuch earlier in the season, when the Blue and Gold sat in the Eastern Conference basement, it's now almost inconceivable to trade him for draft picks or prospects.
The Sabres have a golden opportunity not only to break the franchise's 14-year playoff drought but also to make a little bit of noise in the postseason. Trading Tuch for assets that won't help the organization for a few more years simply doesn't make much sense.
Yes, it's still not ideal asset management, but at some point Buffalo needs to focus solely on trying to win right now, even at the cost of some future uncertainty. Now feels like the moment to do that given how well the club has played over the past two months.
Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen must send a win-now message to the Buffalo locker room
Kekalainen changed the tone of the organization when he took over the front office in mid-December. The excuse-filled Kevyn Adams era was brought to a long-awaited end and the former Columbus Blue Jackets general manager ushered in a renewed focus on compete level and accountability.
It's not a coincidence the Sabres started their turnaround essentially the moment rumors about Adams' future started popping up. Now it's time for Kekalainen to prove he's different than his predecessor.
That process starts with making a bold trade or two to bolster the roster. Adams in-season inaction was an unfortunate hallmark of his unsuccessful six-year tenure, lowlighted by not making a single move during a 13-game losing streak losing streak that destroyed Buffalo's 2024-25 campaign.
The Sabres' biggest need right now, especially as injuries continue to mount, is an offensive-minded forward to bolster the top six. Another player who can generate scoring chances at a high rate and boost the power play would significantly raise the club's upside.
Beyond that, the Blue and Gold could benefit from adding some battle-tested bottom-of-the-lineup players given the struggles of the team's fourth line and third defensive pair for much of the year.
Does Kekalainen have the ability to land one of the deadline's top pieces, whether it be the New York Rangers' Artemi Panarin or Calgary Flames' Nazem Kadri? How about taking a home run swing for the St. Louis Blues' Robert Thomas?
Only time will tell, but the best thing Buffalo's GM can do right now is make it clear to his players that the franchise's only focus right now is winning hockey games, not building their stockpile of picks and prospects for the future.
That mindset extends to Tuch, of course. Dealing him away when your team has won 21 of its past 26 games could have a catastrophic effect on the locker room. The winger's two-way impact can't be overstated, and it'd be nearly impossible to replace in the immediate future.
The best thing the Sabres can do is let the season play out, hope Tuch and Co. make the playoffs to prove the organization is on an upward trajectory and hope the Syracuse native is willing to take a little hometown discount to stay in Buffalo for next season and beyond.
Ultimately, trading the 29-year-old power forward for futures or giving him an eight-year extension at his asking price (around $10.5 million per year) are probably both the wrong decision at this stage, which is why the situation is such a conundrum for Kekalainen.
So the best play is hunkering down, improving the roster in other areas and letting the Tuch chips fall where they may whenever the season comes to an end.