Friedman: Tampa have inquired about Tuch, gunning for a forward.

[lakeshirts37]

In fact it's not a drop off at all when you consider he has more goals this season. Not hating on Tuch, would love to have him, but let's be real. Cirelli for Tuch would be highway robbery for Buffalo. Putting a first on top of him is absolutely ridiculous. It's about as realistic to say that the Lightning could get Tage Thompson for Cirelli and a first as it is for Buffalo to get Cirelli and a first for Tuch.

Agreed just think Tuch drives offense just a bit more not much. For the record I dont think they will or should trade Tuch but Cirelli and a 1st would be a ridiculous return given the ages and contract status

 

[Rschmitz]

And you really think Connor Geekie and a mid 2nd round pick makes us better now OR in the long run? Geekie at his absolute ceiling becomes Tuch

Yeah, you have no clue how high Geekies ceiling is.

 

[boltsfan86]

Agreed just think Tuch drives offense just a bit more not much. For the record I dont think they will or should trade Tuch but Cirelli and a 1st would be a ridiculous return given the ages and contract status

Yeah Cirelli is a little streaky and creates most of his offense on the rush, but there are very few better all-around 2Cs in the entire league. Cirelli and a first is a pipe dream, no disrespect to Tuch who plays a great two way game but in addition to ages and contract status it's harder to find a center like Cirelli than a winger like Tuch, which is probably why Tampa will end up getting someone else

Yeah, you have no clue how high Geekies ceiling is.

I realize I might be delusional for saying it but I wouldn't be a huge fan of giving him up for Tuch without an extension. Not many guys his size moving like he does at his age.

 

[Rschmitz]

I realize I might be delusional for saying it but I wouldn't be a huge fan of giving him up for Tuch without an extension. Not many guys his size moving like he does at his age.

Yeah agreed, no one is a fan of giving him up. Geekie is a blue chip prospect and has everything needed to be a #1 center. He's a very difficult piece to say goodbye to, and anyone who's acting like he's not good enough to be the centerpiece of a deal like this simply has no clue what they are talking about.

As for an extension, we can't give him one until the summer, so that is off the table. I wouldn't be too worried about making that happen though.

 

[boltsfan86]

Yeah, Geekie is a blue chip prospect and has everything needed to be a #1 center. He's a very difficult piece to say goodbye to, and anyone who's acting like he's not good enough to be the centerpiece of a deal like this simply has no clue what they are talking about.

Once he gets adjusted to the speed of the game and reads the play a little better he could be something very special. Love the way he plays, just a dynamic young guy who could be in much better shape statistically if he wasn't such a post/crossbar magnet

 

[Roman Yoshi]

I'll give you a slightly more used Stamkos at 50% retained for a pair of firsts

 

[boltsfan86]

I'll give you a slightly more used Stamkos at 50% retained for a pair of firsts

Two firsts? Who do you think he is, Tanner Jeannot?

 

[Rschmitz]

I'll give you a slightly more used Stamkos at 50% retained for a pair of firsts

I think ya'll owe us actually

 

[boltsfan86]

Man this would be funny

 

[BLNY]

There's an awful lot of sabre rattling going on in this thread!

 

[ccman68]

I just don't see a trade that would make sense for both teams. Bolts don't want to give up roster players and Buffalo doesn't want prospects. Maybe if Buffalo likes Raddysh we could do him and 2 first round picks, but idk if they need another offensive defenseman.

 

[VaporTrail]

He's a fan favorite who has ties to the area on a team with little to market to its already irritated fanbase. Trading him to a divisional rival for futures would probably cause jerseys to be thrown on the ice and all but death knell ticket sales.

40+ year Sabres fan here..Tuch is my least favorite player on the team...TRADE HIM !

 

[JoVel]

Tuch is the one player from this team that I could picture being a contributor to a contending team so it makes sense if they'd trade him.

 

[CowbellConray]

Yeah I respectfully think you're off your rocker if you think Tampa is "adding" by giving up the best player in the deal and a first round draft pick, but I also don't really think Tampa has an offer that Buffalo would accept unless Kevyn Adams pulls a Kevyn Adams (assuming he wants NHL players in return). I also don't know how certain it is that he wouldn't accept picks or prospects or if that's just sentiment among the fans. Has he said anything like that on the record or is it just speculative?

Adams has said he plans to add to the roster, not subtract from it. I find the chance of him trading a core or strong piece for prospects or picks very very small.

Which is why its impact player for impact player as a base instead of package deals.

Also, I am a big fan of Cirelli, but I think Tuch and he are very close if you give a lot of credit to Cirelli's defensive impact against Tuch. Tuch is a very good two way winger, who drives ES offence and PKs well. So is Cirelli, but Tuch has been the better offensive player for the past 5 years now. To state Cirelli is clearly the better player is a little off to me personally, however I do think he is a very solid #2 Center. I just think Tuch in the right situation is a top line winger

Yeah, you have no clue how high Geekies ceiling is.

I mean, I live in Tampa and my wife is a Lightning fan and I watch most of their games and follow them pretty closely, but you are right, I have NO CLUE how high his ceiling is.

Tuch is the one player from this team that I could picture being a contributor to a contending team so it makes sense if they'd trade him.

You dont think Thompson or Dahlin would be impact players to a contending team?

 

[bov]

Buffalo is missing the playoffs again, and after this he has 1 season before hitting the UFA market with plenty of suitors and a chance to massively increase his AAV. Are they magically going to become contenders by then? Unless Tuch is all-in on being a Sabre for the long haul, they'd be wise to sell high while they have a chance. I know he's a NY guy so maybe he has indicated a desire to stay around past 2026, but I have yet to see that. If they're willing to trade a young C like Cozens with high upside after just signing him to a long term deal, I'm sure they'll listen on Tuch.

 

[boltsfan86]

Adams has said he plans to add to the roster, not subtract from it. I find the chance of him trading a core or strong piece for prospects or picks very very small.

Which is why its impact player for impact player as a base instead of package deals.

Also, I am a big fan of Cirelli, but I think Tuch and he are very close if you give a lot of credit to Cirelli's defensive impact against Tuch. Tuch is a very good two way winger, who drives ES offence and PKs well. So is Cirelli, but Tuch has been the better offensive player for the past 5 years now. To state Cirelli is clearly the better player is a little off to me personally, however I do think he is a very solid #2 Center. I just think Tuch in the right situation is a top line winger


I mean, I live in Tampa and my wife is a Lightning fan and I watch most of their games and follow them pretty closely, but you are right, I have NO CLUE how high his ceiling is.


You dont think Thompson or Dahlin would be impact players to a contending team?

That's all fair. I think it's possible that it's close between the two of them ability wise in a vacuum but given Cirelli's age, contract, and position I think it's not as close between who's more valuable

 

[JoVel]

You dont think Thompson or Dahlin would be impact players to a contending team?

I think both Thompson and Dahlin would be in for a massive culture shock if they were traded to a team with any expectations of success, but I wouldn't have the same worry for Tuch.

 

[boltsfan86]

I think both Thompson and Dahlin would be in for a massive culture shock if they were traded to a team with any expectations of success, but I wouldn't have the same worry for Tuch.

Also I don't think most contenders would have both the cap space and the pieces required to get either of those guys, they're elite players whereas Tuch is "just" a great player

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Tuch is the type of rental GM's salivate over, so if the Sabres still suck next year they can always trade him then.

But for now they need his services more.

 

[Rschmitz]

I mean, I live in Tampa and my wife is a Lightning fan and I watch most of their games and follow them pretty closely, but you are right, I have NO CLUE how high his ceiling is.

Just because you watch a few Lightning games you think you are more qualified than professional scouts and GMs who think he could be a #1 center. Ok bud

 

[boltsfan86]

Tuch is the type of rental GM's salivate over, so if the Sabres still suck next year they can always trade him then.

But for now they need his services more.

This is what I don't quite get. They need his services for what exactly? A few character wins to worsen their draft stock? Or are they really turning the corner in the next 50ish regular season games they play between this year and next?

 

[Flat Ronnie]

This is what I don't quite get. They need his services for what exactly? A few character wins to worsen their draft stock? Or are they really turning the corner in the next 50ish regular season games they play between this year and next?

Something about fan apathy

 

[Panthaz89]

Omg, we are not talking about Gretzky here. Ask any casual hockey fan who is Tuch and nobody knows the guy. He is an average NHL-er, stop this nonsense please. For the right price he is going to be traded faster than Lightning (pun intended)

Almost everybody in Buffalo knows Tuch...........and that's 99% of the fan base.

 

[Mattilaus]

Yeah I respectfully think you're off your rocker if you think Tampa is "adding" by giving up the best player in the deal and a first round draft pick, but I also don't really think Tampa has an offer that Buffalo would accept unless Kevyn Adams pulls a Kevyn Adams (assuming he wants NHL players in return). I also don't know how certain it is that he wouldn't accept picks or prospects or if that's just sentiment among the fans. Has he said anything like that on the record or is it just speculative?

Adams has said he is not looking for picks and prospects but a hockey trade. Specifically says the Sabres are not sellers.

Adams Looking For Hockey Trades, Not To Be A Seller

The Buffalo Sabres have won two straight after a 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators at KeyBank Center on Friday night, but the club’s postseason fate has already been sealed with more than two months left to go in the 2024-25 season after a disastrous first half.

ca.sports.yahoo.com

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Or are they really turning the corner in the next 50ish regular season games they play between this year and next?

That would be their plan, yes.

They don't want to wait years for prospects to develop. Clearly, they aren't as close as Adams thought, but at the same time, standings are also deceiving right now due to that massive losing streak they had. They're not as bad as their record. Heck, statistically in a lot of ways they're better than Boston.

They had money to spend but didn't find anything to spend it on that made sense. If they did, this team should be in the fight with all the others. Maybe next off-season will be different.

The core is in their early-to-mid twenties. They want to do what the Sens are doing, and if you ask me, are capable of it. But you also knew it was probably going to be a wasted season due to the lackluster summer.