The Toronto Maple Leafs and general manager Brad Treliving have not been shy about their desire to acquire a top-six forward. Especially with the departure of Mitch Marner, there has been a desire to add another scoring threat that can gel with their current team – and they might be eyeing up a winger just south of the Niagara border.
Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch is in the final year of his contract and is about to hit unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career. And with the Sabres potentially having another lost season, the 29-year-old could be on his way out.
While nothing is imminent since it is so early in the NHL season, there is still potential for the season to go so poorly in Buffalo that Tuch is moved as soon as there’s any sense that he might not re-sign for his hometown team.
According to James Murphy of RG Media, the Maple Leafs are a team that will be seriously interested and will do everything they can to get their hands on Tuch.
“I’ve heard those teams have checked in on him too and while I can’t ever see them acquiring Tuch in a trade because of the rivalry with the Sabres, I’m telling you, the Maple Leafs will be at the front of the line trying to sign him if he gets to market,” the second source told RG.
Alex Tuch would be Leafs' perfect acquisition
It makes perfect sense. While the Leafs could try to get a small, skilled winger to replace Marner, bringing Alex Tuch into the fold is maybe the perfect solution and final piece of the team that they want to build. The 6-foot-4 winger is as powerful as any other winger in the National Hockey League, can skate with the best of them while also providing all-situations play and actually caring about the defensive side of the puck. Oh, and he also just scored 36 goals last season.
Partner up Tuch next to Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews and that is one of the most dominant lines in hockey that brings about just every aspect of the game you need. The other team wouldn’t even have a chance to come close to getting possession of the puck.
While we can all dream about Tuch being in the Blue and White, according to Murphy’s report, this is more a move that the Sabres will make closer to the trade deadline.
“I think this is more around the Olympic break (Feb. 6-25), or the NHL Trade Deadline (March 6),” the source opined. “The pressure is on for Adams to make the playoffs so unless they’re completely out of it, he’s not trading away one of his best players and leaders. Plus, Tuch has made it clear he wants to stay. If they’re still in it then and if he’s not signed, Adams could just make him an internal playoff rental. But that won’t stop teams from calling.”
It will of course be hard to acquire Tuch in the first place, since just about every playoff team will be calling, but it could be even harder to convince him to stay past next summer and re-sign in Toronto. If anything, they can offer that it’s physically the closest team other than the Sabres to his hometown of Syracuse, NY.
No matter what, the Maple Leafs will be looking to make a serious addition up front and only time will tell who that specific player is.