Alex Tuch’s Sign-and-Trade: Buffalo Sends Veteran Winger to Washington

The Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals completed a sign-and-trade on June 24, 2026. Alex Tuch signed an eight-year, $84 million extension ($10.5 million AAV) and was exchanged for a third-round draft pick.

Capitals Land Alex Tuch in $84M Sign-and-Trade With Sabres

Buffalo moved defenseman Bowen Byram to Chicago for the No. 4 pick and a second-rounder, creating cap flexibility. With a $6.5 million buyout penalty for Jeff Skinner and a cap rise to $104 million, the Sabres sought compensation rather than risk losing Tuch to free agency.

Capitals Land Alex Tuch in Blockbuster Sign-and-Trade, Ink Star Winger to $84 Million Deal

Alex Tuch – veteran winger; Jarmo Kekäläinen – Sabres GM.

Sports Illustrated

Tuch posted 33 goals, 33 assists (66 points) in 79 games. His contract averages $10.5 million AAV, the highest salary on Washington’s roster. The Capitals retain $12.5 million cap space.

Report: Capitals acquire Alex Tuch from Sabres in sign-and-trade deal

GM Kekäläinen said stalled talks left a sign-and-trade as the only way to get compensation for Tuch. Washington said it will not rush Ovechkin’s contract, calling Tuch a roster boost.

UsNews and World Report

The eight-year term for a 30-year-old carries cap risk; Kekäläinen warned the contract could limit roster flexibility.

Capitals Land Alex Tuch in Blockbuster Sign-and-Trade, Ink Star Winger to $84 Million Deal

Sources agree the pick is a third-round selection, though a few call it a “draft pick.” Timing of the trade’s finalization varies across reports.

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• “The cap's going up: Teams have money to spend, for the most part, for the first time in a while,” — Mike Grier, GM, San Jose Sharks

UsNews and World Report

• “I don’t have a timeline right now,” Tuch said. “I’ve been so focused on hockey and playoffs. Once we finish here today, we’ll start having those conversations with my agent, my wife, my family and the Sabres.” — Alex Tuch, Winger

Capitals to acquire Tuch from Sabres, extend him on eight-year, $84M deal

• “We made it clear to him that we wanted to sign him. He was an important player for us and a good leader,” Kekäläinen said. “But sometimes when the players have the power to choose, they choose differently.” — Jarmo Kekäläinen, GM, Buffalo Sabres

Capitals Land Alex Tuch in Blockbuster Sign-and-Trade, Ink Star Winger to $84 Million Deal

• “One thing that I've always said is it depends on the contract. Him being a 30-year-old player, there's risk involved,” Kekäläinen said. “Do you want to go max term, eight years? … The AAV comes all eight years. So that's something we needed to consider, OK, if we sign him to a certain number, does this now mean we take two, three, maybe four players off our roster to make it work cap-wise?” — Jarmo Kekäläinen

Capitals Land Alex Tuch in Blockbuster Sign-and-Trade, Ink Star Winger to $84 Million Deal

The Capitals will integrate Tuch for the 2026-27 season while awaiting Ovechkin’s free-agency decision. Buffalo heads into the 2026 NHL Draft with the No. 4 overall pick and a third-round selection, positioning its young core for the offseason.

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