BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres are parting ways with veteran forward Alex Tuch, agreeing to a sign-and-trade arrangement that will send him to the Washington Capitals, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday.
To make the deal work, Buffalo first inked Tuch to an eight-year contract worth $84 million before completing the trade, the source told the AP. The individual requested anonymity since neither the signing nor the trade had been officially announced at the time.
The sign-and-trade format was the only remaining avenue for the Sabres to receive anything of value in return for Tuch. Earlier Wednesday, Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen acknowledged that contract discussions with Tuch had stalled and that he expected the forward to enter free agency once the NHL’s signing window opened the following week.
By signing with Buffalo before the trade, Tuch was able to secure an eight-year deal — something he could not have obtained on the open market, where players signing with a new team are capped at seven-year contracts.
Tuch, who is 30 years old, has spent a decade in the NHL. During his five seasons in Buffalo, he surpassed 20 goals four times, including back-to-back seasons where he netted 33 or more goals.
As a Sabre, Tuch tallied 139 goals and 309 points across 360 games while playing a top-line role. Across his entire NHL career, he has accumulated 200 goals and 448 points in 615 games.
The departure of Tuch follows a busy stretch of roster changes in Buffalo. Just one day earlier, the Sabres traded defenseman Bowen Byram and checking-line forward Jordan Greenway to the Chicago Blackhawks. In return, Buffalo received Chicago’s fourth overall pick and a second-round selection heading into this weekend’s draft, as well as defenseman Louis Crevier.
Kekalainen also disclosed that Byram had made it clear he had no desire to stay in Buffalo once his contract expired next summer.
These moves come in the wake of a strong season for the Sabres, who captured their first Atlantic Division title and their first playoff series victory since 2007.
