The Boston Bruins have kicked the tires on one impending UFA forward this season. According to a report from RG Media published on October 21, the Buffalo Sabres have been fielding multiple calls for top-six winger Alex Tuch.
Among the interested parties, the Boston Bruins emerge as interesting suitors. The Sabres would ideally not want to move Tuch. However, the Sabres seem to be running out of leeway with the 29-year-old.
He’s in the final year of his current seven-year, $33.25 million deal originally signed with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2019. Tuch joined the Sabres in the Jack Eichel trade, and, well, has been solid for Buffalo.
But with the way things are going, Tuch could be looking to bail. That could open an opportunity for the Sabres to land a high-quality winger, while simultaneously dumping a contract on the Sabres.
Here’s what the Bruins-Sabres trade idea could look like:
Bruins get:
Alex Tuch, F
2026 fourth-round pick
Sabres get:
Casey Mittelstadt, F
2026 first-round pick
Now, before Bruins’ fans get up in arms about throwing in a first-round pick in this deal, it’s worth noting the Bruins have two in 2026. The Bruins have their own plus the Toronto Maple Leafs’ pick.
So, tossing in the Leafs’ pick could entice the Sabres to move ahead with the deal. Plus, the Sabres need a center after Josh Norris went down earlier this season. So, why not bring back a familiar face in Mittelstadt?
The Bruins have been looking to move Mittelstadt ever since he arrived in Boston. This move could provide the ideal opportunity to do so.
Bruins Get More Scoring by Adding Tuch
The most evident benefit from adding Tuch to the mix is the added scoring the Bruins get. The club is a little thin beyond David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie up front. Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha are decent scorers, but won’t be lighting the world on fire.
That’s a significant difference with Tuch. The 18th overall pick has scored 36 goals twice in his career. He’s topped 20 goals four times and registered a career-high 79 points in 74 games during the 2022-23 campaign.
Tuch easily becomes the number-two winger behind Pastrnak, and, most importantly, provides depth. He could play alongside Pavel Zacha, giving the Bruins a more legitimate second line. That’s an evident upside the Bruins cannot ignore in this deal.
Boston Gets Out from under Mittelstadt’s Contract
This deal also allowed the Bruins to get out from under Mittelstadt’s contract. The club was hoping that a change of scenery would help the former Sabres’ first-rounder get back on track. Thus far, that hasn’t really been the case.
So, trading Mittelstadt back to the Sabres would unburden the Bruins’ financial situation. Plus, Boston would gain a few extra cap space dollars, which could go towards landing another piece in a deal later on.
The focus will be on building a solid, contending lineup as the Bruins hope to get back into the playoff hunt this season and beyond. So, there’s certainly an incentive to get a deal done, if possible.
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