October 16, 2025 | 2:03pm ET
TheFourthPeriod.com

TUCH CONTRACT TALKS PUT ON “BACKBURNER,” SAYS AGENT

Alex Tuch, forward

It is no secret the Buffalo Sabres want to get power forward Alex Tuch signed to a long-term contract extension, and Tuch has expressed a desire to re-up with the club, as well, but it appears negotiations have been put on pause for the time being.

Tuch, 29, is in the final year of a seven-year, $33.25 million contract and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July.

As TFP’s David Pagnotta earlier this month, Tuch has not closed the door on inking a new deal with the Sabres, but talks have not progressed in a manner the Sabres have hoped.

In an interview with Irfaan Gaffar and Pagnotta on Wednesday during the “DFO Rundown Inside Ediion,” Tuch’s agent, Brian Bartlett, discussed how talks have been going and confirmed that discussions are in a holding pattern.

“The communication, as you mentioned, has been good, been consistent throughout the summer,” Bartlett said. “You know, we had some good conversations, got kind of the parameters of whatever everyone was thinking. It’s very clear to us that the Buffalo Sabres would like Alex Tuch to re-sign long term. That’s been communicated very well, very clearly, very effectively by (Sabres GM) Kevyn Adams and the staff there. And I think hopefully we’ve communicated back to them that Alex would be very happy to stay in Buffalo, as well.

“We weren’t able to kind of get to what made a deal before the season. And then at this point, we’ve just put it on the backburner.”

Given Buffalo’s rough 1-3-0 start to the season, the decision to pause negotiations allows Tuch to focus on helping his team, and that seems to be the primary reason behind the decision.

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“I think we’ve all kind of decided that it’s best to just try to get some wins here,” Bartlett said. “Alex is a leader on that team, both play-wise and kind of, you know, in the room. So he wants to focus on that, not have it a distraction, so we’ve wanted to just kind of let everyone know, like, we’re just gonna put this on the backburner for a little bit – doesn’t mean that we’re closing the door to signing, doesn’t mean anything, just means that, you know, for the time period, he’s gotta try to help the Buffalo Sabres win games.”

In four games to start the season, Tuch has tallied one goal and two assists, and six penalty minutes.