Coming off a strong season with the Buffalo Sabres, Alex Tuch is reportedly on his way to unrestricted free agency in the NHL. For the two-way forward-needy New York Rangers, such a development could be both great and terrible news. Years later, A Tale of Two Cities may return to Broadway, only this time the Blueshirts will experience it firsthand. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times—that’s how free agency may feel for New York.
“It sure sounds like there isn’t progress being made between Buffalo and Alex Tuch, and I’m hearing that Tuch is likely going to free agency,” Darren Dreger reported on First Up.
On paper, Tuch becoming available to the highest bidder should be great news for the Rangers, who have plenty of cap space to work with and want to accelerate their retool by landing one of the biggest fish in the ocean. Obviously, Tuch is no Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, or Brady Tkachuk, but if he indeed enters NHL‘s free agency, he’ll become the top winger available.
Meanwhile, McDavid, Matthews, and Tkachuk all remain under contract, and moving on from their respective Canadian teams remains only a theoretical possibility rather than an imminent reality. Still, Tuch leaving Buffalo doesn’t guarantee he’ll sign in Manhattan, and it could come back to bite the Rangers, who have their own matters to attend.
Alex Tuch is reportedly headed to free agency.
Tuch could affect interest in Trocheck
Although Tuch is naturally a winger, he’s always shown great adaptability throughout his NHL career. That extends to his ability to play all over the ice and at different positions.
Vincent Trocheck has already seen the center trade market, in which he was once the belle of the ball, turned on its head by Dylan Larkin’s trade request out of the Detroit Red Wings. If Tuch becomes available, there will be a clear No. 1 prize on the free-agent market, which is one of the shallowest in recent league history.
Tuch may draw interest from many teams that would otherwise be all over Trocheck. Make no mistake, though, Trocheck will still generate buzz. Executives across the league will be calling Chris Drury and asking about the second-line center. That’s not what’s at stake—the price is. That’s what matters most to New York.
All the Rangers care about
If it weren’t about the return package and simply a matter of shipping Trocheck away, the Rangers would’ve pulled the trigger on a trade a long time ago. The Blueshirts want to maximize their return. Their asking price reportedly remains around what they intended to get back in March, prior to the trade deadline: a first-round pick, a roster player, and a prospect.
Perhaps it’s gone up. Or maybe the Rangers are forced to lower their demands. They once held the golden goose at the trade table, but not anymore. New York is no longer on the driver’s seat—and becoming car sick.
Double-edged sword for New York
If Tuch re-signs in Buffalo, then interest in Trocheck may not face additional competition. If he doesn’t, however, then New York has a chance to sign the player who could make the wait worthwhile. It could come at the expense of the return in the seemingly imminent Trocheck trade.
What carries more weight? That’s what New York needs to be asking itself. Based on what the Rangers conclude, that’s how the team will digest the news of Tuch leaving Buffalo, if the reports prove true.
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