Reality sinks in for Sabres as Lindy Ruff, Alex Tuch decisions loom

The Buffalo Sabres are heading into a different sort of offseason than they've had in more than a decade.

And as the heartbreaking overtime loss on Monday night to the Canadiens sinks in more and more, it becomes apparent how pivotal these upcoming months will be.

Nothing is guaranteed in the NHL. A surprise team one season can be back out of the picture again the next.

For the Sabres to stay relevant, they have to nail their moves in the days, weeks and months ahead.

One key will be Lindy Ruff, the legendary head coach, who is viewed by some at least speculatively as a retirement candidate. Obviously if Ruff wants to come back, he'll be had back, so it's really just up to Ruff.

It would make sense for Ruff to want to continue with what he's built, but until there's certainty behind the bench, Sabres fans will anxiously await coaching news.

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As far as the roster is concerned, Alex Tuch is the biggest question. Coming off a zero-point series against Montreal, Tuch didn't do himself any favors heading into unrestricted free agency.

Despite that goose egg, though, Tuch remains the top winger available in this free agent class, and that's going to get him paid very handsomely.

The real question is whether his brutal performance leads the Sabres to consider letting him walk rather than shelling out huge money for him.

There are other things to decide, too, like potential long-term deals for Zach Benson and Bowen Byram. 

The reality is that the Sabres wouldn't have necessarily envisioned that their offseason would be coming after a 13-game postseason run. They haven't had this kind of season in a long time, and it makes everything that comes next feel that much more important.

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