It’s looking like Alex Tuch is heading to free agency, and who could be interested
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic: As of Wednesday, and things can always change, but it’s looking like Alex Tuch will be heading to free agency. The Sabres may be thinking Nick Schmaltz 8 x $8 million and Tuch is thinking Adrian Kempe‘s 8 x $10.625 million.
David Pagnotta: The latest on Buffalo Sabres pending UFA forward Alex Tuch. It’s looking like the Sabres won’t go over $10 million and Tuch is likely heading to free agency on July 1st. Who could be interested in the winger?
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Irfaan Gaffar: “Finally, Alex Tuch, what’s the latest there?”
Pagnotta: “If they were close on a deal, boys, it would have been done by now.”
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Gaffar: “That’s the thing.”
Pagnotta: “That’s the obvious. Every, all the signs right now point to him going to free agency, unless the Buffalo Sabers completely change their mindset. It sounds like Tuck is prepared to go to free agency, and there will be a lot of suitors for him.
We know what he’s looking for. He wants that $10.6 (million), Adrian Kempe-type deal. Perhaps a little bit more on the open market. Buffalo hasn’t been, from all indications, willing to go over 10. They’re not there. If this was close, it’d be done. It’s not. Again, unless (Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen) pulls a 180, he’s going to free agency.”
Gaffar: “What teams maybe make the most sense in that $10.6 million range, DB?”
Pagnotta: “Chicago.”
Dennis Bernstein: “Chicago, yeah. Not Vegas, that’s, not coming back to Vegas. No reunion there, but Chicago makes a lot of sense.”
Pagnotta: “I look, I expect Seattle to be in the mix on this one as well.”
Gaffar: “They’re gonna do something big.”
Pagnotta: “They’ve been trying to for a long time.”
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Bernstein: “They tried with (Artemi) Panarin. Offered him 14 million, couldn’t get him home, couldn’t get him home.”
Pagnotta: “Nope. So, yeah, Chicago, Seattle, maybe some other teams enter the mix that are a little closer to winning, maybe on a shorter-term deal. Who knows? Maybe Edmonton, if they can move some things around. I don’t think it dish out that much money.
But Alex Tuch will have a lot of suitors if he hits July one.”
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