Veteran goal-scorer Alex Tuch is on his way to the Washington Capitals after the Buffalo Sabres agreed to send him there via a sign-and-trade deal, according to reports from The Athletic and ESPN.
Tuch, who was an unrestricted free agent heading into this offseason, scored at least 33 goals in three of the past four seasons with Buffalo. Under the terms of the agreement, he will ink an eight-year contract with Washington averaging $10.5 million per season once the trade is officially finalized. In exchange, the Sabres are expected to receive a moderate draft pick.
The 30-year-old, who grew up in New York, was originally selected by the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft. Over his professional career spanning 615 regular-season games with the Wild (2017), the Vegas Golden Knights (2017-21), and the Sabres (2021-26), Tuch has tallied 200 goals and 248 assists.
This past season, Tuch put together a strong campaign with 33 goals and 33 assists across 79 regular-season games, helping Buffalo secure its first Stanley Cup playoff appearance since 2011. He earned $4.75 million during that season.
Tuch’s departure marks the second significant move Buffalo has made in just two days. The day before, the Sabres traded defenseman Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks in a deal that brought back the No. 4 overall selection in this year’s NHL Draft — an event set to begin Friday in Buffalo.
