Alex Tuch, 30, joined the Washington Capitals in a sign-and-trade move worth $84 million from the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday, June 24.

NHL journalist Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet confirmed the blockbuster move on social media a few hours before the official announcement was made.

“Not sure how all the pieces fit yet, but Alex Tuch will be traded to Washington and extend. 8 x $10.5M,” Friedman wrote in a post on his official X account.  

As per the report published on the NHL website, the Capitals got him in return for giving away forward David Kampf and a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft to the Sabres.

Notably, the American forward was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 of this year after his contract with the Sabres ran its course. Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen revealed that since he was not willing to stay after the last season, they needed to get the best return out of him.

Kekalainen admitted to keeping Tuch as their own rental, not trading him during the 2025-26 season for playoff roster depth, despite his contract being in its final year.

“I don't think at this point that we've come to any point in our talks that would indicate that he'd want to sign with us,” he said on the same day just before Tuch’s trade, per NHL.

“So I think he's moving on and getting into free agency, and now we got to look at our options, whether it's a sign-and-trade or if we can recoup some value now that we used him as a rental for our own team.”

Furthermore, Kekalainen also alluded to how they “wanted to sign him” while calling him an "important player” on the Sabres roster.

How did Alex Tuch perform for the Buffalo Sabres in the 2025–26 season?

During the 2025-26 regular season, Alex Tuch played 79 games for the Buffalo Sabres, scoring 66 points with 33 goals and 33 assists. He also played in 13 Stanley Cup Playoff games for the Sabres, recording seven points for four goals and three assists.

It was his fifth season with the Sabres after joining them in a trade deal with the Vegas Golden Knights in the summer of 2021.

“I love it here. I've loved my time here,” Tuch said after the Sabres lost to the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoff series, per NHL. “I've loved playing hockey here. I'm going to do whatever's best for myself and my family. That's all. That's my power and consideration.”

Across his five years in Buffalo, he played 360 games for them in the regular season to end up with 309 points (139G / 170A) to his name.

“Alex was a highly coveted player, and we are pleased that he chose to come to Washington,” Capitals general manager Chris Patrick said after bringing in Tuch in a sign-and-trade move earlier today, per NHL. “We believe he will have a significant impact both on and off the ice and will be an excellent fit within our forward corps.”

Is Alex Tuch going to make a big impact on the Washington Capitals’ fortunes in the NHL? Give us your take in the comments.

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Written by

Arjun Sharma

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore