Report Suggests Big Trade Between Canucks & Sabres Could Be Coming To Support Elias Pettersson
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A former first round pick has surfaced as a potential top six option for General Manager Patrik Allvin and the Vancouver Canucks to consider this summer.
The Vancouver Canucks are going to be a team to keep an eye on over the next few weeks as President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford and General Manager Patrik Allvin are hoping to make a splash to improve the team's forward group.
Vancouver's second line center position will need to be addressed, likely via trade, and the team may also need to add a winger that can play in the top-six due to the expected departure of Brock Boeser on Canada Day.
Former first round pick emerges as possible target for the Vancouver Canucks
If Brock Boeser leaves the Canucks on July 1st, the team certainly won't have a shortage of options to consider to replace the Burnsville, Minnesota native, with a number of players already mentioned in the past few weeks including two-time Stanley Cup champion Bryan Rust who might be made available by Pittsburgh.
Late last week, during an episode of Sekeres and Price, an interesting name was brought to the forefront as an option for Vancouver, but not only to play in their top-six, but on their first line with Elias Pettersson.
Matt Sekeres suggested that Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch could be a good fit for the Vancouver Canucks, with Jeff Patterson adding that given the style of game that he plays, would compliment Elias Pettersson really well on the team's top line.
"Alex Tuch in Buffalo. Big guy, can move, forechecker. Bit of an ultimatum with the Sabres as he's going into his final year. They either want to extend him or they're going to move him. Who knows how he's been scarred by the losing in Buffalo coming from a winning program in Vegas, he was part of the Jack Eichel trade." Sekeres said.
Patterson added, "I mean, Alex Tuch is a proven goal scorer with size and a guy that has a little bit of an edge to his game as well, so yeah without a doubt, if there is a path and I know the Canucks have been linked to basically the entire top half of the Buffalo Sabres roster. If they're playing let's make a deal with the Buffalo Sabres, absolutely, I think it would serve them well be kicking tires and kicking them pretty heavily on a guy like Alex Tuch."
Patterson added, "I mean, Alex Tuch is a proven goal scorer with size and a guy that has a little bit of an edge to his game as well, so yeah without a doubt, if there is a path and I know the Canucks have been linked to basically the entire top half of the Buffalo Sabres roster. If they're playing let's make a deal with the Buffalo Sabres, absolutely, I think it would serve them well be kicking tires and kicking them pretty heavily on a guy like Alex Tuch."
Tuch, 29, has one year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $4.75 million USD, which is quite fair given the production he's put up in the last three seasons with the Buffalo Sabres.
In 82 games during the 2024-25 campaign, Tuch registered 67 points (36 goals, 31 assists), 47 penalty minutes and was a plus-16.
Alex Tuch is certainly a player that Patrik Allvin and Jim Rutherford would like to add to the team's roster and it'll be interesting to see if Vancouver and Buffalo can work out a deal, perhaps including their 2025 first round pick (15th overall).
Previously on CanucksDaily
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