Buffalo Sabres alternate captain Alex Tuch looked like a lock to garner at least a $10 million annual salary in his next contract after Kirill Kaprizov received a $17 million AAV from the Minnesota Wild when he re-signed in September.
The NHL contract market has continued to rapidly evolve, however, which was on further display Wednesday when rising star Logan Cooley and the Utah Mammoth came to terms on an eight-year, $80 million extension ($10 million AAV).
Cooley joined the Edmonton Oilers' Conor McDavid ($12.5 million AAV) and Vegas Golden Knights' Jack Eichel ($13.5 million AAV) as marquee forwards coming in well below Kaprizov's number.
It raises questions about whether Tuch, who will turn 30 in May, is truly worth a double-digit AAV on a long-term contract for Buffalo (or another organization).
Recent NHL deals may help Alex Tuch and the Buffalo Sabres find common ground in extension negotiations
Tuch and the Sabres worked to get an extension in place before the start of the regular season but those efforts came up short.
The veteran winger's agent, Brian Bartlett, then told Irfaan Gaffar and David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period the sides decided to put talks on the "back burner" for the time being.
"I think we've all kind of decided that it’s best to just try to get some wins here," Bartlett said. "Alex is a leader on that team, both play-wise and kind of, you know, in the room."
That said, as contract figures around the league trend downward from the Kaprizov peak, Tuch's camp may be more willing to restart the discussions in earnest.
The Syracuse native received ample criticism for his early-season performance, though tensions have cooled as Buffalo rebounded well following an 0-3-0 start to the 2025-26 campaign.
It also helps that Tuch's level of play has improved considerably. He's tallied five points (two goals and three assists) over the past four games to bring him up to nine points in 10 games this season.
Make no mistake: Keeping the 6-foot-4 winger is crucial for Buffalo. He's the roster's most versatile player, bringing ample value in all three phases, and he's also taken on an important leadership role for one of the league's youngest teams.
The Sabres' front office, led by general manager Kevyn Adams, simply can't afford to allow one of the franchise's cornerstones to walk into the free-agent market next summer without getting anything in return. It'd be a massive setback and Adams would struggle to replace him.
So, with that in mind, it's easy to understand Tuch hasn't lost all of his leverage. The dynamics have simply changed based on other contracts being signed around the league.
It creates a situation where the 2014 first-round pick's agent may get antsy with concern further extensions could drive the price down. If Cooley, a 21-year-old center who's scored 77 points in 86 games since the start of last season, is getting $10 million, what is Tuch's true market value?
Yes, there are other critical factors in play, led by the fact Cooley is within his RFA years, while Tuch is an impending UFA. That absolutely matters and will likely increase the final number.
It doesn't change the fact the contract values as a whole haven't surged to the levels expected after Kaprizov inked his deal just last month, though.
So, perhaps with both sides feeling some pressure for different reasons, now is the time for Tuch and the Sabres to get an extension done and eliminate the worst-case scenarios for everyone involved.