From Connor McDavid and Kirill Kaprizov to Anthony Stolarz and Jake Walman, many impending free agents have already locked up contract extensions.
Tuch has pressed pause on negotiations with the Atlantic Division club, agent Brian Bartlett told Daily Faceoff on Thursday.
“We werenâ€t able to kind of get to what made a deal before the season. And then at this point, weâ€ve just put it on the back burner,” Bartlett told Irfaan Gaffar and David Pagnotta on the DFO Rundown Inside Edition.
Tuch, 29, is set to be among the most highly sought free agents if he makes it to July 1. At 1-3, the Buffalo Sabres could even make him a prize of the trade deadline if they choose to sell.
In 82 games last season, Tuch matched a career high with 36 goals to go with 31 assists. The Syracuse, N.Y., native is now in his fifth season with the Sabres after being dealt from the Vegas Golden Knights as part of the trade sending former Buffalo captain Jack Eichel the other way.
Bartlett said he and the team engaged in “consistent” communication regarding Tuch throughout the past off-season.
“We had some good conversations, got kind of the parameters of whatever everyone was thinking. Itâ€s very clear to us that the Buffalo Sabres would like Alex Tuch to re-sign long-term. Thatâ€s been communicated very well, very clearly, very effectively by (Sabres general manager) Kevyn Adams and the staff there,” Bartlett said.
“And I think hopefully weâ€ve communicated back to them that Alex would be very happy to stay in Buffalo, as well.”
In 540 career games with the Minnesota Wild, Golden Knights and Sabres, Tuch owns 168 goals and 217 assists for 385 points.
He was originally selected 18th overall by the Wild in the 2014 draft, but was traded to the Golden Knights ahead of their 2017 expansion draft and became a key part of the ‘Golden Misfits’ that went to the Stanley Cup Final in their first year of existence.
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