Sabres' Forward Could Be Strong Fit for NY Rangers in Free Agency

Which player from the Buffalo Sabres could be a good fit for the NY Rangers?

Apr 23, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) reacts after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the third period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden. / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

With the offseason starting up for the New York Rangers, the team will be focused on improving a roster that was a significant disappointment this year. 

As the Stanley Cup Playoffs move on, the Rangers have been at home trying to plan for what next season is going to look like. This is a team that is going to be retooling this summer, and that likely means they will be looking to shake things up a bit. 

There will be some important dates along the way for New York. The NHL Draft Lottery will be one of them. With the third-highest odds for the first overall pick and the team guaranteed to be in the Top 5, the Rangers could be getting an impact player in the NHL Draft. 

Furthermore, while the draft will help them in the future, they also have a desire to be a playoff contender next year. If that is going to be the case, they will need to add some talent. With a good amount of cap space, New York is going to have options to do so. However, how they will attack it will be interesting. 

Peter Baugh of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch being a potential fit for the Rangers in free agency.

Free Agency Class Isn’t Super Deep

Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Even though the Rangers have a plethora of cap space, a lot of the expected stars have signed extensions in recent years, leaving the class lacking some star power. However, while players like Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid might not be available, there are some talented players who could help New York. One of those players is Tuch.

After starting his career with the Minnesota Wild and the Las Vegas Knights, the 29-year-old has really found his groove. In three of the last four years, he has been able to eclipse the 30-goal mark, and that would certainly help the Rangers. 

There were undoubtedly some offensive woes for the team in the 2025-26 campaign, and Tuch would be a strong option to help them in that area. However, at his age, there might be some concern about how he would fit into the vision of the team going forward. 

Furthermore, with the Sabres snapping a lengthy playoff drought and things are trending up, Tuch going back to Buffalo is certainly going to be a possibility, but he makes a lot of sense as a potential free-agent target for New York.