It is being reported that one of the bigger pending free agents has come off the board. This news emerged as Alex Tuch signs a massive contract with the Buffalo Sabres and has been subsequently traded to the Washington Capitals. The contract is reportedly for eight years, taking advantage of re-signing in Buffalo with the extra year, and has a total value of $84 million. Tuch’s new deal has an average cap hit of $10.5 million per season and runs through the end of the 2033-2034 season.
https://www.twitter.com/i/status/206985994426266852
Alex Tuch Signs Massive Sign and Trade Deal to Go to Capitals
Tuch has played for the Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, and the Buffalo Sabres over his 10-year NHL career. Last season, the Baldwinsville, New York native tallied 33 goals and 33 assists for 66 points in 79 games. He averaged exactly 19 minutes of ice time in the 2025-26 campaign for Buffalo. Tuch had a Corsi for of 47.8 and a relative Corsi of -1.7.
The veteran forward has 200 goals and 248 assists for 448 points in 615 career games. Minnesota originally took Tuch in the first round, 18th overall of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Vegas also selected Tuch in the expansion draft. The forward was also part of the blockbuster trade that included Peyton Krebs and Jack Eichel.
Tuch has also represented his native United States at the international level. He was part of the fifth-place team at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championships. The Central New York native also played on the fourth-place American team at the 2023 IIHF Worlds.
(Credit Image: © Alex Cave/ZUMA Press Wire)
Not sure how all the pieces fit yet, but Alex Tuch will be traded to Washington and extend
8 x $10.5M
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) June 24, 2026
What It Means
Sabres fans were hoping that the lifelong fan would stay put in the Queen City. However, it looks like Tuch is going to collect a massive payday elsewhere. Tuch and the Sabres tried negotiating a new deal, but things didn’t work out in the end.
The veteran forward had been looking for a contract similar to that of Adrian Kempe of the Los Angeles Kings. Tuch looks like he got the contract he desired and can be an important contributor.
Buffalo will now have to pick up the pieces and find someone that fill the scoring, defensive, and leadership voids that Tuch’s departure now leaves. The Sabres were a feel-good story, but now have to pay the price of winning. The details of the trade are still coming in, but it seems Buffalo will receive at least one fairly high draft pick.
For Washington, they are definitely a franchise in transition. With Alex Ovechkin nearing the end of his legendary career and head coach Spencer Carbery having his team committed to be hard to play against, they want to jump to the next level. Following the acquisition of Jordan Kyrou and now adding Tuch, the Caps are fully invested in providing the scoring of the future. No doubt it will be interesting to see how they develop chemistry. One thing is for sure, they are going to get a huge boost from the offensive talent side of things.
Sabres getting a draft pick as part of the trade, which is higher than what Tampa got for Raddysh https://t.co/iSq0Ig7DSL
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) June 24, 2026
Main photo by: Danny Wild-Imagn Images
