One of the lone bright spots for the Sabres has been the offensive output and play of forward, Alex Tuch. The 28-year-old has 33 points on the year. He is clearly the best offensive option on the roster and continues to be a leader both on and off the ice.
Recently he was left off of Team USA's roster for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament set for February of 2025. He may be proving that was a mistake with his play. It was announced on December 5th this past year and since then, the right winger has 9 points.
This includes a hat trick in a 6-2 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks. Said Tuch of the hat trick, "Doing it in front of the home crowd was that much more special and it was great to get the win in front of them."
Before being left of the roster for the tournament, Tuch has plus-11. He now currently holds a plus-15 as the season turns the corner on the second half. It's been a remarkable season thus far for Tuch, despite the Sabres struggles as a team.
Currently Tuch as 14 goals on the year, compared to only 22 from a year ago
He is currently tied for second on the team in points behind Tage Thompson. The alternate captain is averaging over 19 minutes a game and has been a positive presence on a team that is still looking for its identity.
His work on the ice and aggressive nature generating chances and keeping up the pressure is one of the reasons why he is performing well. He has also been involved heavily in the Western New York area in holiday work and other charity ventures.
It begs the question, why Team USA would choose to leave off a player who is well established both on and off the ice? In 2023, he helped the international team compete on the IIHF World Championship where they finished fourth. He had eight points in the tournament.
Tuch was also an alternate captain for the tournament. He holds that distinction this year with Buffalo and has been a proven leader for the team. His play could possibly lead to him being included in the Olympic roster for 2026, however being left off the team in 2025 does not boost well.
Tuch would be an amazing addition for Team USA at the Olympics though. The team has not medaled since a silver in 2010.