Alex Tuch returning to Vegas? The idea isn't as crazy as it seems

Let's face it. The Buffalo Sabres are the exact opposite of the Vegas Golden Knights. They're the NHL equivalent of a night on the toilet after an uncontrollable Taco Bell binge.

With the franchise on track to continue its annual tradition of missing the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2010-11, the Sabres are in sell mode again. Thank goodness Jack Eichel got away from that car wreck, eh?

Sadly, Alex Tuch was involved in that deal. He left the beautiful views of the Las Vegas Strip to be stuck on a perpetual loser in Buffalo. In the process, Peyton Krebs was traded with him along with a 2022 first-round draft pick (used on Noah Ostlund) and a 2023 second-round draft pick (used on Riley Heidt after it was traded to the Minnesota Wild).

However, a new opportunity arises to bring a returning "Misfit" back to Vegas. The winger can redeem himself after being posterized by Braden Holtby in Game 2 of the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals. But is there room to bring him back?

Believe it or not, there's a viable path for the "Original Misfit" to come back. Kelly McCrimmon's been known to pull some strings behind the scenes. He's used incredible methods such as having other teams retain salary. Let's dive into the pathway to getting a "Misfit" back at T-Mobile Arena.

Breaking down Alex Tuch's contract

Alex Tuch is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2025-26 season. He has a cap hit of $4.75 million and has a five-team no-trade list in the last three years of his seven-year contract. While the Vegas Golden Knights don't have much wiggle room to work with ($2,996,813 in deadline salary cap space; $1,048,884 in current cap space), McCrimmon is known for lessening the blow.

Take the Tomas Hertl deal as a perfect example. The San Jose Sharks are retaining 17% of his salary after the March trade, leaving the Golden Knights to pay $6.75 million. Another example was the Anthony Mantha trade, where McCrimmon only paid 50% of the forward's salary during his tenure. Therefore, fans should expect more of the same if the general manager makes this trade.

The general manager could have Buffalo retain 50% of his salary in a trade. Considering the salary cap is expected to go up to $92.4 million next season, this would make it easier for Tuch to stick around. Add in the fact that the winger is also 28 years old and the idea sounds even more tempting. No fretting about Eichel going to a different team, eh?

Perhaps a 2025 third-round pick will suffice for the "Original Misfit." Maybe McCrimmon gets tired of giving Brendan Brisson opportunity after opportunity to get it right and sends him off. Whatever the case, the trade looks plausible under the piece standpoint.

How the roster lines up just right for a "Misfit" return

Even the roster lines up well for an Alex Tuch return. When healthy, the top line looks like this, leaving little to no wiggle room for anybody to be bumped down.

That is, except for Brett Howden. This is no disrespect to the 26-year-old; he's having a career year with 11 goals in 31 games. However, he can replace a struggling Alexander Holtz on the third line. How? The Swedish winger is waiver-exempt, meaning the Golden Knights can send him down to the Henderson Silver Knights for conditioning.

Give Holtz more time to hone his shot and develop his offensive handles to become a more viable forward. It works out for all parties involved and gives the Golden Knights another winger with a big shot. Fans will remember the days of the Buffalo Sabres star sniping pucks as a "Misfit".

There are numerous benefits to adding a strong winger like Tuch. He's great on the power play and plays as a bigger Jonathan Marchessault, only he adds more elements to the game. Plus, you don't have to worry about photoshopping the 28-year-old in a Golden Knights jersey. Why? You already have plenty of photos to choose from! It's a win-win for the organization looking to win another Stanley Cup.