Sabres Prioritize Tuch Resigning Before Playoffs

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The Buffalo Sabers are heading into their first Danley Cup playoff since 2011,

but their top priority right now is resigning right.

Winger Alex Touch, before he hits free agency this summer.

Touch posted 28 goals and 58 points in 66 games this season,

while leading all forwards and block shots last year with one.

113.

He loves big minutes too, averaging 18 minutes 49 seconds of ice time per game,

second only to Touch Thompson among forwards.

Fans in the front office see him as a core piece,

and losing him would hurt the line of badly.

With $13.1 million in cap space next season,

the Sabers have room to offer a big deal, maybe around 8 to 10 million per year,

keeping him ahead of others but signaling commitment to top performers.

Reports say both sides want to make it work,

with talks possibly mirroring deals like Adrian Kempi's 10.625 million average,

or Nick, Schmalz's 8 million.

Still, sports nets Elliott Friedman notes no deal is certain before playoffs.

A strong postseason run could drive up Touch's value even more,

so General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen needs to act fast to secure him long-term and boost.

Team morale heading into this exciting stretch.