The Buffalo Sabres made waves on Monday by parting ways with general manager Kevyn Adams, a clear attempt to shake things up after a disappointing start to the season. Buffalo currently sits at the bottom of the Atlantic Division with a 14-14-4 record, and the front-office change may only be the beginning.
More roster moves could be on the horizon, and forward Alex Tuch has quickly emerged as a central figure in trade speculation. An insider is now shedding light on what his asking price could look like, based on discussions from the previous regime.
Sabres’ Alex Tuch’s Asking Price Rumored to Be Around the $85M Mark
Tuch is in the final season of his seven-year, $33.25 million deal, and without an extension, he’ll be headed for unrestricted free agency at the end of this season.
With Buffalo failing to find its footing, dealing Tuch could be a potential reset move. On TSN “FanDuel OverDrive,” NHL insider Darren Dreger noted that a midseason firing often points to broader changes coming within the organization.
“General managers don’t get fired in season very often,” Dreger said. “And it’s difficult when you come in, in season, to manage any sort of significant change. You can look at the Alex Tuck negotiation… The former general manager shared that Tuck was looking for money just beyond Adrian Kempe.”
Kempe recently signed an eight-year, $85 million extension with the Los Angeles Kings, carrying an average annual value of $10.625 million. Dreger suggested that benchmark could make Tuch a legitimate trade candidate ahead of the March 6 deadline.
“You know, cut bait with Alex Tuch in that sense, draw that line in the sand. Here is how we’re going to go, and that’s it,” Dreger said.
If Tuch were officially placed on the trade market, Dreger noted that Leafs general manager Brad Treliving would be among those looking for a forward, and plenty of teams across the NHL would jump at the opportunity. “That’s where it starts,” He said.
He added that if roster changes don’t solve the problem, the organization may need to look elsewhere.
“And beyond that, if you’re okay with the NHL roster but it still needs tweaking, you have to ask some hard questions about the coaching,” he said.
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Dreger added that making a GM change this early in the season signals the Sabres may be open to just about anything. Now, attention shifts to Buffalo’s next move as the team gets set to take on the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.
