In my opinion I would keep him as a rental for that price, unless there is a lateral trade we could make, like Jason Robertson for example
In my opinion I would keep him as a rental for that price, unless there is a lateral trade we could make, like Jason Robertson for example
31 comments
Jason Robertson is not a lateral move
The issue with Tuch is the money. We have other guys who need to re-up and signing Tuch to $10+ makes extremely hard. Trading for Robertson just makes the same problem harder.
This sucks. That’s all I can say.
Sucks but such is life. Signing Tuch long term to this money means eventually letting go of younger, core pieces to the puzzle.
It’s unfortunate, but I think we let him walk. What’s the free agent pool looking like for this off season? Will another team actually give him a long term deal at $10M+?
Yeah I love Tuch but that contract would hamstring the team. Damn shame.
Not sure how I feel about keeping him for the playoffs and letting him walk
I really hope we don’t give him an extension in-season.
I find it really hard to believe a perennial playoff team is going to give him a long term contract at that price as well.
If he wants to recoup money from his last contract, he’s probably doing it on a rebuilding or hopeful team and is putting himself back in the same situation the Sabres were at the beginning of the year.
Wait till July 1st and I’m sure his price tag comes down. If he wants to chase the bag and end up in Vancouver or something, have fun.
Who told him he was elite ?
I also would like elite money.
Tuch is one of my guys but he is out of his mind if he thinks he’s worth $10M+. Let some other sucker sign him for that.
Also, why would you want to kneecap your team like that?
Blame LA for the Kempe contract for comparison.
Maaaan, I get why he’s looking out for #1 but that’s almost certainly gotta see him gone. I do not want the team’s future sacrificed for somebody looking to eat up that much of the budget.
It’s the way I figured it would play out for months. If Tuch is signed the Sabres would need to move out a bunch of other salary, and it’s not the UPLs and Greenways that other teams want.
Who other than us would sign that?? At best he gets maybe 9 on the open market
You can’t get Tuch the term he wants, sorry. Own rental. Love you goat, we’ll never forget that empty netter against VGK
Tuch needs to wake up. Nobody is giving him that at his age. Nobody. So start negotiating.
Kevyn Adams really messed this up.
I would be fine with the money but not for more than 5 years. And I respect Tuch if he wants longer stability but it doesn’t fit with the timeline of the team.
If he helps end the drought this year I’ll think of it similar to Tyrod Taylor: Thanks for ending the suffering of Sabres fans but we need to move on for the future of the team.
Guy has been absolutely invisible the last 2 games, as he is for about 50% of his games. I understand market value and why it’s up to 10+, but I’d rather allocate that same money to Benson/Doan/RFAs than a mediocre power killer who is somewhat local.
Love Tuch, but yeah man that’s not in the cards. We are spoiled with the young talent we have and that are coming up. So many first round picks we’ve gotta pay lol. Tuchs skating has both visually and analytically dropped this season. I don’t see that getting any better at the end of an 8 yr deal.
What to say they couldn’t sign hik for the contract he wants now, and move him as a piece later in the contract years. Lets sa we get three good years and he starts to show his age at 34 or 35. Im guessing there will be some teams interested in a talented vet if they are trying to make a push. Idk, just a thought.
I agree that Kempe is the comp but the Sabres are the only team that can go 8 years on term. I have a hard time believing a team is going to give him 12.1/yr for 7 ( 7 year equivalent to Kempe in $ ) years on the open market. I get it that FA is when teams get elite levels of stupid but…that’d be C R A Z Y for even a very good player like Tuch.
From a Tuch standpoint he’s instrumental in the PK and as a top 6 forward. Was quiet the first half of the season but still created non-stat plays.
Hes gone next year. Makes sense to keep him for playoff push and then say your farewells
Tuch at term would turn into an anchor like Okposo
No contending team is giving him that term. He’s worth 10 but not 8 years. He will go to some rebuilding dumpster team with that contract and be lucky to have a shot at the playoffs when he’s 35
Only thing I could see is a sign and trade at the draft. MAYBE. If not, better to walk
Personally, I think they should find a way to meet his demands, because he’s that important to the team’s makeup, and is going to get it on the open market. I also think they can make it work with pending RFAs and next year’s cap. But if they’ve decided against any of that, I’m 100% for keeping him through the rest of the season. Trade his rights before July 1 for whatever you can get.
Keep him, making the playoffs mean more this year to end the drought.
It’s fine. A rental is fine. I’d still try to find another defenseman somehow but keep him for the rest of the year.
We can always sign a few guys for his cap room. Better to have a few top six forwards for his price than be handcuffed to a declining forward for the next 8 years.
The thing that’s crazy to me is that the Sabres could give him eight years but if they hold his rights through July 1, the longest deal he could get from anyone is six years. $8MMx8 is still more money than $10MMx6.
I don’t think they should sign him for max term but the fact is that they have a BIG leg up on everyone else in terms of structuring the deal.