BUFFALO, NY. (WKBW) — For Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch, the approach to this new season is simple.
“The most successful teams find a way to win each night, and so that’s what we want to do — find a way to win each night," he told me in a one-on-one interview.
His role in helping the Sabres snap their NHL-long 14-year playoff drought can’t be overstated, but he enters year five in Buffalo with looming uncertainty about what his future looks like here.
“Alex (Tuch) has been told very clearly by myself and the organization how important he is," Sabres General Manager Kevyn Adams said back in September. "The good news is that he said the same exact thing about being here. It’s just a matter of working through something that makes sense for both sides.”
Dom Tibbetts: “He (Kevyn Adams) says it’s mutual from both sides that he wants you here and you want to be here, is that accurate to say?”
Alex Tuch: “Yeah, I don’t think anyone has ever questioned how much I want to be a Buffalo Sabre and how I’d love to finish out my career here and play as long as possible here.”
Tuch’s value to the organization goes far beyond what he brings to the ice. Growing up a Sabres fan, he brings perspective to the locker room of what this city is like when the team is playing meaningful hockey.
“I watched the success and how this city rallied around the Sabres during their times of success, and I think that embodies me," Tuch added. "I want us to be successful. I’ve put my heart and soul into this team, and I haven’t shied away from that.”
He’ll be the first to tell you that simply breaking the playoff drought isn’t the ceiling for this team.
"Obviously, you can’t win the Stanley Cup without making the playoffs; that’s obviously a stepping stone, but it’s not our end goal," he said. "It’s never going to be our end goal."
The Sabres host the New York Rangers on Thursday at 7 p.m. in their regular-season opener.
