NY Rangers Not Signing Alex Tuch Will Be Right Move Long-Term

The New York Rangers not landing Alex Tuch could be best for the team long-term.

May 1, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) points to his goaltender after being congratulated at the bench after scoring against the Boston Bruins during the first period of game six of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. / Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

It has been a very busy offseason so far, but for the New York Rangers, things have started to heat up.

As the summer starts to get going, the Rangers will be facing an important offseason that has just recently started to look much better. So far, there have been a number of strong potential targets for New York traded, but with asking prices being extremely high, it is likely wise that the Rangers have held off.  However, the team was able to add the young and talented Pavel Dorofeyev during the NHL Draft, giving them a new key piece for the franchise going forward.

Furthermore, the team also has two good trade assets in Braden Schneider and Vincent Trocheck. However, while there have been some rumblings about Trocheck, nothing has happened as of now. Considering how well some of the trade packages have been so far, New York has to be expecting that they will be getting a big return for their center. 

While the team continues to try and retool, they do have a ton of cap space to be able to pursue talent in free agency. Unfortunately, this is not a class that is looking all that strong. One player who was going to be on the radar for the Rangers was Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch. As a 30-goal scorer in three of the last four seasons, he was a good fit in terms of improving the time, but perhaps not for the long-term outlook. 

Rangers Not Getting Tuch Will Be a Blessing 

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

Despite interest in Tuch, New York not landing him could end up being a good thing. While the talented forward would have made the team better as a potential 30-goal scorer, this is a franchise that seemingly needs some more to be a contender. 

For a team like the Capitals, who are closer to contending with the additions of Jordan Kyrou and Tuch so far, it makes a lot more sense. By the time the team might truly be able to compete, Tuch could be 35 years old and on the decline, which could hamper the future plans of the team. 

Overall, while it doesn’t help the team right now, the Rangers have to be forward-thinking and not invest so heavily in a good player, but not a star, makes a lot of sense. Getting a player like Dorofeyev and spending the money on him instead certainly seems like a better move for the franchise both in the short-term and long-term.