The trade chatter surrounding Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch has hardly been a secret this season. Speculation has run rampant about where the impending unrestricted free agent (UFA) could end up by the trade deadline. Pundits have linked Tuch to various clubs—some proposals making sense, while others seem less plausible.
This ongoing situation led two notable insiders, Chris Johnston and Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, to suggest what they believe could be two feasible trade destinations for the Sabres forward.
### LeBrun’s Take: Los Angeles Kings
Pierre LeBrun points to the LA Kings as a good potential landing spot for Tuch. He explains:
> “I’m going to pick the Kings as the destination. Los Angeles is hanging on in the playoff race in the West despite struggling offensively. Tuch would be an ideal boost on the right side behind first-liner Adrian Kempe. And the Kings have ample cap room.”
LeBrun provides two main reasons for a Sabres-Kings trade:
1. **Scoring Needs:** Beyond top-line winger Adrian Kempe, the Kings lack a pure goal-scorer. Since Los Angeles remains in the thick of the playoff race, adding a player like Tuch could be a significant boost offensively.
2. **Cap Space:** The Kings currently have over $11 million in salary cap space. This cushion makes it easier for them to fit Tuch’s full cap hit under the ceiling—something Buffalo will appreciate. The Sabres are unlikely to retain a large portion of Tuch’s salary, even if only for one season.
### Johnston’s Perspective: New York Rangers
Chris Johnston believes another strong possibility for Tuch is the New York Rangers, Buffalo’s in-state rival. According to Johnston, the Rangers could benefit greatly from adding Tuch’s goal-scoring ability. He shares:
> “If the Sabres move on from Tuch, the Rangers look like a sneaky good fit. New York is armed with serious cap space this summer and doesn’t have a lot of obvious places to deploy it after the most attractive potential UFAs signed extensions with their existing clubs. The Rangers won’t be looking to rebuild and need to make sure they spend that free money wisely.”
Johnston also suggests that a sign-and-trade deal could be on the table. Such a move might benefit both teams since the Rangers appear unlikely to retain Artemi Panarin. Trading Panarin’s $11 million-plus cap hit would create the space required to add Tuch.
### The Sabres’ Reluctance Amid a Hot Streak
Buffalo’s franchise-record-tying winning streak ended Saturday with a loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, but the team remains red hot. This success may make the Sabres hesitant to disrupt team chemistry by trading one of their key players.
As Johnston points out, Tuch is Buffalo’s second-leading scorer. Moving him now could upset the team’s current balance of power. If a deal is to happen, it might come closer to the trade deadline, which is still about two months away.
Should a trade not materialize before the Olympic break, the Sabres could revisit the possibility once play resumes in late February. For now, all eyes will remain on Buffalo and Alex Tuch as the season progresses.
https://heavy.com/sports/nhl/buffalo-sabres/sabres-tuch-trade-destinations/
