Alex Tuch is Perfect for Buffalo
He is big and strong. He is from Baldwinsville, NY. He is a high energy guy and blue collar. He is as positive as they come as a hockey player.
Back in November, the Buffalo Sabres finally were able to trade superstar Jack Eichel for a load from Vegas. In that deal, Peyton Krebs and a couple of future draft picks were sent to Buffalo as was the key piece, Alex Tuch, the guy described above, who grew up about two hours away playing youth and junior hockey.
I, for one, am a die-hard Buffalo Sabres fan and was thrilled to see that Tuch was coming to Buffalo. The Sabres need guys who want to win there, want to be there and understand what they are trying to build. Tuch is that guy, despite leaving a Stanley Cup contender in the Golden Knights.
Recently, I had Scott Montagna on my podcast show, the ML Sports Platter. He coached Tuch at the junior and youth levels in Central New York. He said it best when asked of Tuch’s value as a Sabre and his superstar potential:
“I think he’s very, very close to being that (an NHL superstar). And I think with this opportunity of being traded from Vegas to Buffalo where I think he will be relied on even more to be a huge part of Buffalo’s rebuild and their whole team in general. I think he’s going to be looked to more in a leadership role in Buffalo just because he’s got so much playoff experience over the last 3-4 years.”
For the whole interview, have a listen here: https://bleav.com/shows/ml-sports-platter/episodes/alex-tuchs-youth…h-scott-montagna/.
Tuch and Krebs are huge pieces to add to other core players in Buffalo. Rasmus Dahlin at defense, Dylan Cozens at center, Owen Power waiting at defense at Michigan, JJ Peterka at right wing, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in goal.
Now, the Sabres have to develop people quickly, find the right chemistry among many players and win. That last part has not happened really at all this year and in most recent years. The city is starving for a playoff berth, something that hasn’t happened since 2011. And with the recent success of the Bills and the same ownership group as the football team, well, you can only accept another rebuild for so long.
This is where Tuch hopefully comes in if you cheer for the blue and gold. Maybe he hits the switch and turns into a bonified superstar next season. Maybe he is the next captain. Maybe he scores clutch goals down the stretch for Buffalo to help them into the playoffs. He certainly has the skill set and work ethic and everything else in-between to do so.
So do these Sabres. They just have to all do it together, stop blowing leads (3-2 overtime loss to Detroit after being up 2-0 as I write this) and keep grinding.
Western New York is right now dominated by the Bills and rightfully so. From the outside, most everyone will say “it’s a Bills’ town.” But when the Sabres are right? When the Sabres are in the Stanley Cup Playoffs? The city goes crazy. I have seen it first hand so many times. This city loves hockey, they love the Sabres and they love watching hockey outside the Sabres, even in the playoffs. Just check market ratings annually. Buffalo is always on the short list even when the swords aren’t playing in the postseason. “It’s a Sabres town” can be stated also. But you have to win.
And so, Alex Tuch, Sabres fans are looking at you, not the only hopeful savior to this franchise’s woes, but a superstar in the making who knows what life is like when the Sabres are great and making a run at the Stanley Cup. You saw it, you lived it, you played two hours from it.
The Sabres will be good again, we Buffalo fans hope. And with any luck, it will be largely because of Alex Tuch.
