From our friends at the Washington Capitals...
Capitals Acquire Alex Tuch from the Buffalo Sabres
6’4”, 219-pound forward, who has scored 30-plus goals in each of the last two seasons, ranked second on Buffalo in goals, assists and points during his five-year tenure
The Washington Capitals have acquired Alex Tuch from the Buffalo Sabres for a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft (originally from San Jose) and forward David Kämpf, senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick announced today. Prior to the trade, Buffalo signed Tuch to an eight-year, $84 million contract extension. Tuch’s contract will carry an average annual value of $10.5 million.
“Alex was a highly coveted player, and we are pleased that he chose to come to Washington,” said Patrick. “Alex is a top-six offensive forward who brings size, versatility, and the ability to contribute in all situations. He consistently gets to the net, competes at a high level, plays a strong 200-foot game, and has proven year after year to be a highly effective goal scorer and productive offensive player. Beyond what he brings on the ice, his leadership, work ethic, and commitment to playing the right way make him an invaluable addition to our group. We believe he will have a significant impact both on and off the ice and will be an excellent fit within our forward corps.”
Tuch, 30, is coming off his second straight 30-goal season after scoring 33 goals and recording 66 points in 79 games with Buffalo. The 6’4”, 219-pound forward ranked second on the Sabres in goals, third in points and fourth in assists (33). In addition, Tuch posted a career-high +24 plus-minus rating and led Buffalo in five-on-five points (47). Among Sabres forwards, Tuch ranked first in blocked shots (90), second in ice time per game (19:00), shorthanded goals (3) and shorthanded points (5) and tied for second in shorthanded ice time per game (2:26).
Tuch has scored 33 or more goals in three of the last four seasons, including a career-high 36 goals in 2024-25 and 2022-23. In his five seasons with Buffalo, Tuch recorded 309 points (139g, 170a) in 360 games, ranking second on the team during his tenure in goals, assists and points, behind only Tage Thompson. In his first full season with the Sabres in 2022-23, the Syracuse, New York native registered a career-high 79 points (36g, 43a) in 74 games. Over the last five seasons, no Sabres skater had a higher plus-minus rating (+60) or on-ice even-strength goal differential (+50) than Tuch.
Prior to being acquired by Buffalo, Tuch spent four seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights from 2017-21. A member of Vegas’ inaugural team, Tuch recorded 37 points (15g, 22a) in 78 games as a rookie in 2017-18 and added 10 points (6g, 4a) in 20 playoff games, helping the Golden Knights reach the Stanley Cup Final.
Tuch, who was originally drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the first round (18th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft, has recorded 448 points (200g, 248a) in 615 career games with Buffalo, Vegas and Minnesota. In 79 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, Tuch has registered 40 points (23g, 17a).
Tuch played two seasons at Boston College (NCAA) from 2014-16, where he registered 62 points (32g, 30a) in 77 games. In 2014-15, Tuch was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie team after recording a team-leading 28 points (14g, 14a) in 37 games.
On the international stage, Tuch served as an alternate captain for Team USA at the 2023 World Championship and was named a top-three player on his team after collecting eight points (5g, 3a) in 10 games. Tuch also represented the United States at the 2015 World Junior Championship, the 2014 Under-18 World Championship, where he won the gold medal, and the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
