The NY Rangers head into the 2025-26 season looking to retool on the fly, while looking to support the team’s veteran core. Part of that effort has been to inject more talent into the lineup.
However, finding affordable options in the top six is no easy task. But then again, it’s just a matter of looking in the right places. One place that’s been the talk of the offseason is Buffalo. In particular, much of the offseason chatter has surrounded impending UFA Alex Tuch.
Tuch is coming off a 36-goal season and could be a solid choice for the Rangers. He’s 29 and has topped 30 goals in two of the last three seasons. Tuch’s the type of scoring winger the Rangers could use to bolster their top six. He’s also entering the final year of a seven-year, $33.25 million deal.
So, here’s what this trade could look like:
Rangers get:
Alex Tuch, F
Jacob Bryson, D
Sabres get:
2026 First-round pick
Will Cuyle, F
This deal also assumes the Sabres retain 50% of Tuch’s cap hit. Hence, that’s why the Rangers would pay with a first-round pick. Presumably, the Rangers can send Carolina’s first-round and keep their own in the 2026 NHL Draft.
New York also sends Will Cuylle to the Sabres, given how Buffalo has reportedly sought pieces to hit their lineup immediately. Cuylle can do that and could become a replacement for Tuch.
The Rangers also land Jacob Bryson, a young defenseman who can serve in a depth role this upcoming season. He could take on a more meaningful role, allowing the Rangers to move a veteran blue liner at the trade deadline.
Tuch Fills Major Need Now for Rangers
Adding Tuch to the fold is about filling a major need now for the Rangers. The club could use more scoring in the top six. Tuch delivers that. Plus, he’s still young enough to where re-signing him to a multi-year deal wouldn’t raise too many eyebrows.
Yes, Cuylle is coming off a 20-goal season. It was an improvement on his first full season. But there might be some doubt as to whether Cuylle could get close to the 40-goal mark. Meanwhile, Tuch has proven he can top and potentially get to 40 goals. With a solid center playing with him, hitting the 40-goal plateau could be a reasonable goal for Tuch.
Trading Cuylle Is Risky Business for Blue Shirts
This trade idea assumes trading a rising star for an established veteran. In the immediate future, that deal looks like a solid one. But there’s always the risk of mistakenly trading a young, up-and-coming player for an older one.
As such, the Rangers could make a mistake by letting Cuylle. It could be that Tuch fails to meet expectations in New York, while Cuylle blossoms into a 30 or 40-goal scorer of his own.
Pulling off this trade could be a calculated move the Rangers might want to consider, anyway. If the aim is to win now, while the current veteran core is in place, a deal like this could be in the pipeline.
Otherwise, the Rangers may hold on to Cuylle and hope he turns into the top-six scorer they need.
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