Prospect Info: Luke Tuch

[Harry Kakalovich]

He looks good. Big body. Hits. Skates. Some nice vision. Keeps things relatively simple. I think he will play in the NHL.

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1834975346199847196

I like his game a lot. The last two prospect games showed me enough to feel he will have a place in our bottom six one day.

 

[Hannibal]

He’s not far from making our bottom 6.

He could be a dark horse in this camp.

 

[Vachon23]

Curious to see what he’s gonna do at the main camp since he was much older then most of the players at the rookie camp

 

[OneSharpMarble]

He looks like he's 35, could it be the devious photoshopper at work again?

 

[morhilane]

He really improved his skating since he was drafted.

 

[Redux91]

Looked like a 3rd liner to me
In a very good way.

 

[NewDef]

Looked like a 3rd liner to me
In a very good way.

Our 3rd line will likely be more of a 2B- line, but Tuch would be great on a 4th that contributes. Tuch-Beck-Thorpe may be a thing in 2-3 seasons.

 

[montreal]

I like his game a lot. The last two prospect games showed me enough to feel he will have a place in our bottom six one day.

I always said he would get signed as posters questioned that due to his poor stats but when you have a big guy that can move like he does and has some hands, he's going to get interest from NHL GMs. They know that you can't really have guys like Ylonen on your 4th line if you are a playoff contender, you need guys like Tuch, that can score those dirty goals, be a pain in the ass to play against, have to keep your head up as with his size+speed combo he can send you into next week if you don't pay attention.

 

[lamp9post]

I always said he would get signed as posters questioned that due to his poor stats but when you have a big guy that can move like he does and has some hands, he's going to get interest from NHL GMs. They know that you can't really have guys like Ylonen on your 4th line if you are a playoff contender, you need guys like Tuch, that can score those dirty goals, be a pain in the ass to play against, have to keep your head up as with his size+speed combo he can send you into next week if you don't pay attention.

Can he kill penalties? Perhaps this guy could be a Travis Moen type for us in a season or two.

 

[montreal]

Can he kill penalties? Perhaps this guy could be a Travis Moen type for us in a season or two.

yes, he is usually a regular on the PK.

 

[Trabdy2]

I think Tuch showed pretty well on the weekend. I think we have a solid 4th liner in the making in this player. Skates well, physical, and has some decent hockey sense. He seems to play pretty mean and hard. If he can PK, that's going to be a big asset for him and will help to keep him in the lineup.

 

[Hannibal]

Tuch’s name came up by MSL and Hughes. Imm telling you, i woudln’t be surprised if he’s in.

 

[Trabdy2]

Tuch’s name came up by MSL and Hughes. Imm telling you, i woudln’t be surprised if he’s in.

His game looked fairly mature to me this weekend. I wouldn't be surprised if he takes a 4th line spot out of camp. There isn't high offensive upside, but the tools are good enough and the habits seem to be there.

 

[overlords]

Tuch’s name came up by MSL and Hughes. Imm telling you, i woudln’t be surprised if he’s in.

I watched the 2nd prospect game again and damn, Tuch hit everything that moved and is probably already top 5 in the organization in strength along the boards. I dunno if we'll have room for him right away unless we keep Roy down in Laval, but he might make things interesting.

 

[lamp9post]

Tuch will be an interesting one to watch in camp for sure. I think the brass must like his physicality and pro-style game. There is a bit of a log jam at forward, but at some point we're going to need to build a 4th line with an identity, rather than being comprised of a random assortment of overpaid vets who weren't good enough to stick in the top 9. Maybe they start that process this year and make some room for Tuch. Though I think he most likely starts in Laval.

Also, his profile picture on HockeyDB is hilarious:

Luke Tuch Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

Statistics of Luke Tuch, a hockey player from Baldwinsville, NY born Mar 7 2002 who was active from 2018 to 2024.

www.hockeydb.com

 

[rickthegoon]

I watched the 2nd prospect game again and damn, Tuch hit everything that moved and is probably already top 5 in the organization in strength along the boards. I dunno if we'll have room for him right away unless we keep Roy down in Laval, but he might make things interesting.

Pretty sure Pezzetta is more at risk of being waivered than Roy being sent down to Laval, even if he’s waiver exempt.
Tuch looked ready to steal Pezzetta’s chair: can’t wait to see how training camp goes.

 

[overlords]

Pretty sure Pezzetta is more at risk of being waivered than Roy being sent down to Laval, even if he’s waiver exempt.
Tuch looked ready to steal Pezzetta’s chair: can’t wait to see how training camp goes.

Pezz's chair is securely bolted to the press box. I wouldn't do that to a nice kid like Tuch who could be helping out Laval.

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

I always said he would get signed as posters questioned that due to his poor stats but when you have a big guy that can move like he does and has some hands, he's going to get interest from NHL GMs. They know that you can't really have guys like Ylonen on your 4th line if you are a playoff contender, you need guys like Tuch, that can score those dirty goals, be a pain in the ass to play against, have to keep your head up as with his size+speed combo he can send you into next week if you don't pay attention.

Well said! Stay watching can be very misleading. I think of Brady Tkachuk for example

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

I always said he would get signed as posters questioned that due to his poor stats but when you have a big guy that can move like he does and has some hands, he's going to get interest from NHL GMs. They know that you can't really have guys like Ylonen on your 4th line if you are a playoff contender, you need guys like Tuch, that can score those dirty goals, be a pain in the ass to play against, have to keep your head up as with his size+speed combo he can send you into next week if you don't pay attention.

With the top of our lineup being absolutely loaded with young NHlers and stud prospects, players like Tuch are extremely valuable as cheap but effective bottom six players. I expect Hughes and company to really start to zone in on big bruising forwards with early picks for the next while as it will be important to have a conveyor belt of these archetypes when the top of the roster is making big dollars and we will need affordable but effective players to fill out the bottom.

 

[Rapala]

I think Tuch showed pretty well on the weekend. I think we have a solid 4th liner in the making in this player. Skates well, physical, and has some decent hockey sense. He seems to play pretty mean and hard. If he can PK, that's going to be a big asset for him and will help to keep him in the lineup.

He had a slow start as did his entire line but by the end of the first game they got their board play going.
He was much better in the second game he seemed to get his feet moving a little bit better.
This guy is the prototypical hard to play against bottom six player who will tire defenders with good board and zone play.
This matches Owen Beck's game to a tee.

Beck's best games have him/his line owning the zone something we are used to seeing being used against us.
I've been on about this for about three seasons now.
People underestimate the impact on your offense having a line(s) that can do this.
A perfect example was Beck's line in the WJHC.
Both goals that we scored in our final game came on the back of Beck's line dominating for a full shift and getting in a change or partial change.
How much better can our top lines be when we start spending less time and energy in our own end.
We've had three seasons of being gassed on many shifts just getting the puck over the center line.

 

[Habs]

@overlords DM'd me and wanted to know if I thought 'Tuchasaurus Rex' was a 'sweet nickname' and to help spread it around.

 

[Paddyjack]

I'm pretty sure the Leafs players were tired of him last weekend.

 

[JoelWarlord]

Pretty sure Pezzetta is more at risk of being waivered than Roy being sent down to Laval, even if he’s waiver exempt.
Tuch looked ready to steal Pezzetta’s chair: can’t wait to see how training camp goes.

I think Tuch is going to have to steal Armia's spot to make the NHL roster, otherwise they'll send him to the AHL for now and keep Pezzetta as the 13th forward.

 

[morhilane]

I think Tuch is going to have to steal Armia's spot to make the NHL roster, otherwise they'll send him to the AHL for now and keep Pezzetta as the 13th forward.

Armia is the team best PKer, he's not getting replaced by a rookie when management wants to let in less goals.