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2019-20 Golden Knights Player Profiles: Alex Tuch

May 5, 2020, 12:27 PM ET [1 Comments]
Jeff Paul
Vegas Golden Knights Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone! With the hockey hiatus still going strong, it's time for another 2019-20 Player Profile. Seeing as it's Taco Tuesday AND Cinco de Mayo, there's no better player to profile than Alex Tuch. As you may know, he has embraced the taco emoji in the VGK Twitter lineups.


Alex Tuch is a young, charismatic player many fans are excited about (USA Today Sports)


Name: Alex Tuch
Position: RW
Age: 23
Nickname: Tuchie, Taco
VGK Since: 2017 Expansion Draft (Trade)
Contract Status: Year One of seven year, $33.25 million extension
Fun Fact: "I'm probably gonna get some hate for this, but I hate pumpkin pie."

Biggest Strength:


Quickness - With Tuch coming in at 6-foot-4, 222 pounds it's almost shocking to see quickness as the biggest strength. Bigger players are typically the grinders and the hitters, but not Tuch.

Instead, the Boston College alum uses his size to screen opposing netminders and shield defenseman away from the puck on power moves to the goal. His foot speed is what sets him apart from other stereotypical "power forwards" around the league.

Combined with his instincts and soft hands, Tuch has already compiled a slew of breakaway highlights. With more seasoning, he is bound to finish a higher percentage of those high danger chances.

Biggest Weakness:


Injury-Prone - Tuch has spent time on the shelf in each of the past two seasons. Could it be the larger frame, sure. Maybe it's just bad luck? Either way, the young forward has had a tough time staying on the ice. He has missed all three season openers - he spent the first in the AHL, netting a hat trick - making each season an uphill battle.


The young forward has yet to play in a Vegas season-opener (USA Today Sports)


He missed the start the 2018-19 season due to a lower-body injury sustained in a preseason game. He hit the ground running upon his return, finishing the season with a respectable 20 goals and 52 points. The trade deadline addition of Mark Stone may have hurt Tuch, as it pushed him down the lineup.

Prior to the 2019-20 season, Tuch was dealing with another injury that cost him the start of the season. This time, it was an upper-body ailment, and he didn't light the world on fire when he drew back into the lineup.

Fast-forward to the second half of the season and Tuch is dealing with another lower-body injury. It's been a tough two years for the young forward. A breakout season could be on the horizon with his potential, skillset, and drive.

2019-20 Season:


42 GP: 8 goals, 9 assists, 17 points, minus-10 rating, -2.7 CF-rel (EV)

It has not been a great season for Tuch. There's no sugar coating it and the brutally honest, east coaster would almost assuredly say so himself. Once again hampered by injuries, Tuch hasn't been able to fulfill the massive potential he has.

At the time of the shutdown, Tuch was on the LTIR nursing a lower-body injury. Prior, his third line never really took off, in any variation of the unit. Cody Eakin, Cody Glass, Valentin Zykov, William Carrier, Brandon Pirri, Paul Stastny, and more have rotated through the Golden Knights' third line and nothing has seemed to work.

His work on the power play is always big for the team. He gives them a big body out front and the hands to finish plays at the top of the crease. Tuch can also be utilized as a playmaker below the goal line. Although the 5-on-5 game has been rough, he's always added value to the club.

When healthy, Tuch combines great speed with solid size and scoring touch, creating the perfect power forward. This season, he hasn't been able to tap into that as much. With seven years left on his deal, the 2014 first-round pick of the Minnesota Wild has plenty of time to find it.

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