Help On The Way For Buffalo Sabres

It has been over a month since the Buffalo Sabres traded their former franchise centre Jack Eichel and a conditional pick to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, and two conditional picks.  Although the Eichel era has come and gone, many fans have still had a hard time moving on and looking forward to a very uncertain future in Buffalo.  Perhaps the news from Jourdan LaBarber and NHL.com will help with that, as it is being reported that Alex Tuch practiced on Wednesday for the first time without a  non-contact jersey and could debut as early as this Saturday with his new team.  

Tuch underwent shoulder surgery during the offseason, and he will be playing his first game since a game 6 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens when he was with his former team, the Vegas Golden Knights.  The addition of Tuch to the lineup brings scoring, size, and playoff experience, three things that any team could use - but the Sabres need desperately.  In his last full season played in 2018-2019 (72 games), he amassed 20 goals and 52 points and last season he only played 55 games, but his pro-rated stats amount to approximately 27 goals and 22 assists.  For comparison, only Tage Thompson is currently outpacing him on the team, as his 10 goals equate to 29 over a full 82-game season.

The former first-round pick will be a welcome addition in Buffalo, and will officially mark the end of the Jack Eichel era, and the beginning of a new one - for better or worse. Check out some of Tuch's best highlights from last season:

Photo Credit: © Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports