The 2026 Winter Olympics are over, which means the Buffalo Sabres will soon be returning to game action. The 2026 NHL trade deadline is also rapidly approaching, so trade activity around the NHL should certainly pick up. 

Fans will naturally be keeping an eye on the Sabres. With star forward Alex Tuch being a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) and still without a contract extension at the time of this writing, he has been the subject of trade rumors. 

Yet, when noting that the Sabres are currently in a playoff spot and Tuch is an incredibly important part of their roster, they should not trade him. Instead, their next move should be to find a way to sign him to a contract extension. 

Tuch is exactly the kind of player that a team on the rise, like the Sabres, should be keeping around. He is not only a big part of their top six due to his strong offensive ability, but is also a well-respected leader in their room. Thus, moving on from him would undoubtedly be negative for the Sabres. This is especially so when noting that they have a real shot of finally snapping their 14-year playoff drought.

The Sabres would be wise to work hard on getting a new deal done with Tuch as the deadline gets closer. If they extend him, it would be great news for the Sabres. 

In 56 games this season with the Sabres, Tuch has recorded 22 goals, 26 assists, 48 points, and a plus-14 rating.