Alex Tuch extension (poll)

[JohnC]

10 minutes ago, tom webster said:

I really think this comes down to whether Byram can be comfortable being behind Dahlin. The message I’ve gotten has been pretty consistent, money and term won’t be an issue.

I still don’t fathom why people think one player has anything to do with the other. Affording Byram has absolutely nothing to do with Tuch’s deal.

I understand your viewpoint but disagree with it. The cap puzzle deals with choices. How a GM deals with a rich and extended contract very often does influence how one deals with another player when the contract has to be dealt with. 

[tom webster]

6 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I understand your viewpoint but disagree with it. The cap puzzle deals with choices. How a GM deals with a rich and extended contract very often does influence how one deals with another player when the contract has to be dealt with. 

The cap is going up another at least $10M and Skinner buyout drops $4M. They will have almost their entire core locked up on team friendly deals. Money shouldn’t be an issue for awhile.

[tom webster]

35 minutes ago, Taro T said:

One thing for him to remember, all 3 of the Habs "big 3" made it into the HoF.  Team success goes a long way towards making individual careers look impressive.

And that Langway coming up behind them. What a crazy defensive corp

[Taro T]

3 minutes ago, tom webster said:

And that Langway coming up behind them. What a crazy defensive corp

And Laparierre was part of the Big 3 before Robinson got there.

[tom webster]

9 minutes ago, Taro T said:

And Laparierre was part of the Big 3 before Robinson got there.

I forgot about Laparirre.

[Taro T]

43 minutes ago, tom webster said:

I forgot about Laparirre.

Everyone does.

And he was another HoFer.

[Brawndo]

Neither side is budging.  The Sabres will not go to 10 million AAV and above, Tuch won’t go below that asking. 

[Pimlach]

4 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Neither side is budging.  The Sabres will not go to 10 million AAV and above, Tuch won’t go below that asking. 

I heard Dreger on Sabres Live say no progress, he didn’t mention any numbers on the program that I can recall.  Just seems likely that the two sides will part.  

[Brawndo]

1 minute ago, Pimlach said:

I heard Dreger on Sabres Live say no progress, he didn’t mention any numbers on the program that I can recall.  Just seems likely that the two sides will part.  

Those are not from Dreger 

[Archie Lee]

9 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Neither side is budging.  The Sabres will not go to 10 million AAV and above, Tuch won’t go below that asking. 

Time to work the phones for a sign and trade. Find a team willing to give Tuch his 8th year and work out a deal before July 1. I still like Seattle for Tampa’s 1st. 

Edited June 7 by Archie Lee

[Pimlach]

9 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Those are not from Dreger 

Are they your numbers then?  

[Pimlach]

10 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

Time to work the phones for a sign and trade. Find a team willing to give Tuch his 8th year and work out a deal before July 1. I still like Seattle for Tampa’s 1st. 

Why would any team do this when they can talk to him directly on July 1?  Term is one of the big issues with Tuch. 

[nfreeman]

I don't blame either side for this.  This is, by far, the one time in his life that Tuch will be able to secure a huge payday for him and his family.  But when Jarmo looks at the list of guys with a $10MM AAV -- https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/rankings/player/_/year/2026/position/f/sort/cap_total

-- about 75% of them are major difference-makers and 25% of them are guys that make you say "yeesh, I'm glad my team didn't give that contract to that guy."

Tuch is a good to very good player but not a major difference-maker.

Someone will give him a huge offer.  There's still a chance though that the overall package -- location, quality of team, etc. -- won't be as appealing to Tuch as what the Sabres offer.  But it seems 80% likely that he's gone.

[Eli Cash]

All the best to you, Mr. Tuch.  Someone will pay you what you want, and that is great news for you and your family.  Who wouldn’t push for generational wealth?

If the organization that signs you is our Buffalo Sabres, may it work out extremely well for both parties.  

If the organization that signs you is not the Sabres but sits within the Eastern Conference, I hope this signing sets your organization back for a decade.

Just being honest.

[Brawndo]

43 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Are they your numbers then?  

No from a different source 

 

41 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

Why would any team do this when they can talk to him directly on July 1?  Term is one of the big issues with Tuch. 

Agreed. Tuch apparently will not take a penny less than Adrian Kempe’s New Deal which is 8 years 10.625 million AAV for a total of 85 million. A seven year deal for the same money is 12.1 million AAV which is a little over an extra 1.5 million per season for the seven years. That’s easy for a team such of Seattle to absorb and one less season to worry about regression. 

[Pimlach]

Just now, Brawndo said:

No from a different source 

Ok.   Seems right to keep it under $10M. 

 

[Archie Lee]

1 hour ago, Brawndo said:

No from a different source 

 

Agreed. Tuch apparently will not take a penny less than Adrian Kempe’s New Deal which is 8 years 10.625 million AAV for a total of 85 million. A seven year deal for the same money is 12.1 million AAV which is a little over an extra 1.5 million per season for the seven years. That’s easy for a team such of Seattle to absorb and one less season to worry about regression. 

I imagine a sign and trade is unrealistic. The current situation around the league, though, where seemingly 1/2 of the teams have loads of cap space and nobody to spend it on, at least makes me wonder if it is possible. 

If location is what matters most to Tuch, and this is just Buffalo or Seattle, then a sign and trade is very unlikely. If though, money (AAV and term) is the larger issue, then it is at least worth exploring. How many teams are interested and how many would Tuch seriously consider?  

You are right that all a team needs to do to meet Tuch’s apparent ask of $10.65 x 8 is to offer $12.1 5 x 7.   But, what if there are 5 teams willing to pay that?  Something better than $12.15 x 7 is $12.15 x 8. If a team is desperate enough to pay Tuch $12 x 7, then why not x 8?   
 

 

[nfreeman]

I will be pretty surprised if anyone gives Tuch $12MM x 7 years.

[Brawndo]

3 hours ago, nfreeman said:

I will be pretty surprised if anyone gives Tuch $12MM x 7 years.

Maybe, maybe not. Even if he signed with Seattle for 7 times 77 million, he can structure the deal to get a bulk of the deal paid out in signing bonuses on July 1st 2026 and 2027, before the Washington State Millionaire Tax starts in January of 2028. Running it through Google AI says just under 40 million in total compensation for those first two seasons.

 

I do not blame either party for standing their ground.

[tom webster]

3 hours ago, nfreeman said:

I will be pretty surprised if anyone gives Tuch $12MM x 7 years.

Seattle offered Panarin $15M. They are desperate to make a splash. Between the constant comparisons to their expansion brethren Las Vegas and the pending arrival of an NBA expansion team, they want to be taken seriously.

[nfreeman]

51 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Maybe, maybe not. Even if he signed with Seattle for 7 times 77 million, he can structure the deal to get a bulk of the deal paid out in signing bonuses on July 1st 2026 and 2027, before the Washington State Millionaire Tax starts in January of 2028. Running it through Google AI says just under 40 million in total compensation for those first two seasons.

I do not blame either party for standing their ground.

I can totally see $11MM x 7 years, or even a little above $11MM, plus advantageous bonuses, NTC, etc.  $12MM x 7 years just seems too high.  I could be wrong though.

 

14 minutes ago, tom webster said:

Seattle offered Panarin $15M. They are desperate to make a splash. Between the constant comparisons to their expansion brethren Las Vegas and the pending arrival of an NBA expansion team, they want to be taken seriously.

And Seattle's GM is a well-known bozo.  It only takes one.  That's a situation though where the hockey level of the team, now and anticipated for the next few years, will benefit the Sabres in Tuch's comparing the teams.

[Eleven]

The Sabres can replace Tuch.  My main concern is that people will use the cap space to justify the retention of UPL, who is paid way above value when the Sabs already have Lyon and Ellis, and Levi of course.

 

I will start another thread this week and do not want to hijack this one.

[tom webster]

38 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

I can totally see $11MM x 7 years, or even a little above $11MM, plus advantageous bonuses, NTC, etc.  $12MM x 7 years just seems too high.  I could be wrong though.

 

And Seattle's GM is a well-known bozo.  It only takes one.  That's a situation though where the hockey level of the team, now and anticipated for the next few years, will benefit the Sabres in Tuch's comparing the teams.

Contracts of this scope are above the GM’s pay grade. Owners make those calls with input from the hockey side. I will bet more than one team offers over $12M.

[Scottysabres]

Sign

and

Trade

[pastajoe]

You can have a pretty good life living in Buffalo at $9 million a year. To not give the team a hometown discount to play for his childhood team near his hometown and family is ridiculous. Even McDavid gave his team a huge discount. It’s not like the average person making $60k taking a new job for $100k, which can be a significant lifestyle change. I think we lose perspective on just how different these professional athletes lives are compared to ours. One year of salary and they’re set for life.

I for one will join the chorus of boos if he comes back with another team, especially if it’s a division rival like Toronto.