'He's got it all' | Tuch's growth drove Sabres on path to success

From the moment Alex Tuch arrived in Western New York, he immediately fit in.

Not just because he grew up in Baldwinsville, New York, a modest two-and-a-half-hour drive from Buffalo, but mainly because of his style.

"I'm a big, fast strong power forward who plays a pretty diverse role in the lineup," Tuch said during his introductory press conference in November of 2021. "I think of myself as a utility guy that brings a lot of different things to the rink. I just like to say that I'm pretty hard-working, high-energy player."

With 36 goals and 79 points this season, Tuch posted a career year while averaging 1.06 points per-game. Not bad for a utility guy, right?

"He can shoot when you don't think he's going to shoot," defenseman Rasmus Dahlin said. "He can deke and pass. I feel like he's got it all."

Dahlin would know. As the Sabres' top defenseman, his assignment often includes shutting down the opponent's best player. He's a fair judge of talent and ranks Tuch among the best of them.

"He's been such an important piece of our team," Dahlin said. "You saw him out of our lineup for a few games there and you saw a big difference."

Tuch grew up next to Tim Connolly's parents, as so eloquently discussed in the pilot episode of his linemate Jeff Skinner's blockbuster hit, "Between Two Stalls." Even though he never got to spend much time with the former Sabre forward, it sparked his fandom. Tuch understands how strong the love affair can be with a tam after seeing the Sabres make consecutive Eastern Conference Final appearances in 2006 and 2007.

He and his teammates have set out to reignite that passion over the past two seasons.

"I thought we made a lot of people in the City of Buffalo proud through our work ethic and our attitude and our emotion in this locker room, because we were true to ourselves," Tuch said. "We really showed that we care about that logo on the front of our jersey and about the City of Buffalo in general."

Tuch indeed talks the talk, but he can also walk the walk. He's been just as active off the ice as he has been on it. The AT9 Foundation coupled with his other charity work earned him the Rick Martin Award this past season, presented annually to the player fans believe best embodies what it means to be a Buffalo Sabre. He was also recognized as Buffalo's nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy.

"He has confidence in himself and the enthusiasm he brings to the team, I think it rubs off on guys," Skinner said. "Not only to the team but to the community, to the organization… I think the young guys are lucky to have him as a role model."

Skinner may have been the one to coin Syracuse as "the fashion capital of New York State," but the only thing Tuch fashions himself as is a hockey player. One that's focused on improving his individual game and helping the team take that next step into the postseason.

"We had a little bit of a chip on our shoulder, we wanted to prove some people wrong, and I thought we did," Tuch said. "To be that close and still the youngest team in the league, that gives guys a lot of confidence and be like, hey, we can do this."

Tuch helps provide that swagger. It's no coincidence that the Sabres fell into a 2-7-2 swoon in March, part of which coincided with Tuch missing eight games with a lower-body injury. His return gave the Sabres an immediate jolt in the form of a 4-3 win over Toronto.

"I was originally supposed to miss four to six weeks," Tuch said. "I was lucky enough to be a faster healer… It was a little bit of risk, but I thought the reward was a lot greater.

"I just wanted to come back and push. Try to help my team as much as possible in a run for the playoffs because I thought we were still in a position where we can make some waves."

The Sabres are fortunate that Tuch was a quick healer, too. Learning how to play postseason hockey on the fly, they jockeyed for playoff positioning. They three of four upon his return to spark a 9-2-1 stretch to close out the season.

"That's what you're going to have to do," Tuch said. "Sometimes you have to win a game that's 6-5 and sometimes you're going to have to win a game that's 1-0 or 2-1 and you're going to have to find ways to do it."

They finished a mere one point behind the Florida Panthers for the final wild card spot (who are one win away from advancing to the Eastern Conference Final). Naturally it's easy to look back on a point or two left on the table at various points of the season. Tuch sees it as another lesson, however bitter it is.

"You have to just continue to learn that Game 2 and 3 are just as important as Game 81 and 82 in a season," Tuch said. "That's what it comes down to, is the teams that put together the full season."

Despite the expectation to be playing game No. 83 next spring, Tuch is focused on what happens this fall. The Sabres never believed they were out of it in March, so they're paying just as much attention to any guarantee they're in the playoffs next year.

"You have to leave all the outside noise behind you and just worry about game one," Tuch said. "If you're looking past game one, you've already lost. That's what we're going to have to worry about in this locker room."