The first real test for Jarmo Kekäläinen, who was appointed as the general manager of the Buffalo Sabres mid-season, relates to the future of star forward Alex Tuch. There have been concerning messages coming from the ongoing contract negotiations.

According to NHL insider Darren Dreger, there has been no significant progress between the parties, and it currently seems increasingly likely that Tuch intends to test his value in the summer free agency.

– It sounds like there has been no progress between Buffalo and Tuch. From what I hear, Tuch is likely heading to free agency, Dreger confirms.

The 30-year-old American was one of the key offensive contributors for the Sabres this season as well. He finished the regular season with strong numbers of 33+33=66 and was one of the team’s most effective players.

However, his performance dwindled in the playoffs at a crucial moment. Particularly in the second round against the Montreal Canadiens, Tuch was completely off his game and failed to collect a single point in the seven-game series.

Tuch’s camp is reportedly seeking over $10 million in annual earnings with a new contract. This is an amount that Kekäläinen does not seem willing to pay.

If the parties do not find common ground in the coming months, the Sabres could lose one of their top forwards without compensation. At the same time, this would be the first significant personnel decision during Kekäläinen’s tenure in Buffalo.

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