Alex Tuch on his decision to leave Sabres, sign with Capitals: ‘I loved my time there’
Alex Tuch on his decision to leave Sabres, sign with Capitals: ‘I loved my time there’
“I loved my time there, and I'm leaving behind an incredible organization and unbelievable teammates,” Alex Tuch said on his decision to sign with the Capitals. Blake Dahlin / Imagn Images
By Matthew FairburnJune 26, 2026 Updated 12:36 pm EDTWhen Alex Tuch was sitting in the Buffalo Sabres’ dressing room after the team’s Game 7 loss to the Montreal Canadiens last month, he waited a while to take his jersey off.
In that moment, he was thinking about the possibility that it could be the last time he wore a Sabres jersey.
“I wanted to make sure I sat there for a second because it was definitely one of the toughest moments of my life,” Tuch said.
That thought became a reality this week when Tuch joined the Washington Capitals via a sign-and-trade deal, landing an eight-year, $84 million contract with more than $50 million in signing bonuses.
Two days after signing that deal, Tuch spoke to reporters via Zoom about his decision. He was with some of his old Sabres teammates at Bowen Byram’s wedding. Byram also left the Sabres this week in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks after he refused to negotiate a new deal with Buffalo.
“Just leaving Buffalo, it was one of the hardest decisions of my life,” Tuch said. “I loved my time there, and I’m leaving behind an incredible organization and unbelievable teammates.”
Tuch, 30, grew up two hours east of Buffalo, cheering for the Sabres. He said it was a dream come true to play for the organization, and he loved every minute of it.
However, it became clear this season that he could end up playing elsewhere. Tuch didn’t want to get too deep into the details of the negotiations, but he confirmed that the Sabres made a last-minute push to sign him this week. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the offer was “darn good,” but he doesn’t believe it included the eighth year. Still, the effort was noticed by Tuch, who said he paused negotiations at the end of the season and the playoffs to focus on playing.
“I really appreciated that,” Tuch said of Buffalo’s final offer. “We were in talks as of last week. It was something I had to take a lot of time and thinking. It was a really hard decision. I don’t want to look too much into it.
“It’s still really fresh and new, and no one besides myself, my family, my agent and Buffalo’s management will truly know how everything transpired to a certain extent over the last year. But I am forever grateful for everything the Sabres organization has done for me. I wouldn’t be where I am without them.”
Tuch said this was about more than money, but Washington’s contract offer was right in line with Adrian Kempe’s contract in Los Angeles, which Tuch’s camp had pointed to as a comparable all along. And getting an eighth year mattered to Tuch.
“Once we figured out that it wasn’t going to work with Buffalo, teams became a little more serious with the idea of maybe a sign and trade, and Buffalo was in talks with people. Washington made a big push, and then they asked us to speak with Washington. And you never really know what teams are going to be involved in free agency.
“With everything that Washington brought to the table, I think that you take a huge risk going into free agency. I think it mitigated it a little bit. Also, the eighth year was something that I was pretty proud of getting. I worked my entire career, and to be able to sign a max-length level deal was pretty special. It was something I’m very grateful for. I think it just allowed us to keep the AAV down, instead of a seven-year deal. I think that helps the team as well. It’ll bring more guys, and I’m just really excited about it.”
Tuch said he’s already heard from about half of his new teammates in Washington. He views them as a legitimate contender, one year removed from winning the Metropolitan Division, and a tough team to play against. And he was happy to stay on the East Coast, not too far from his family in the Syracuse area. He had a lengthy meeting with Capitals management and coaches and came away excited by their vision for him.
“Going through the process, it’s a business, and you realize how much of a business it is,” Tuch said.
“Going into it, I really focused on what I thought was the best opportunity for me, both capitalizing on free agency and also on the hockey. My thoughts were I wanted to go to a team that is going to be super competitive for a very long time because I think I’m in the prime of my career. Also, a lot of times, I mean, you don’t get to go to free agency a lot, and so this is an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up, and I needed to do what I felt was best for my family and I. Honestly, just really excited.”
Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen noted this week that Buffalo’s tight cap situation made it difficult to fit Tuch’s salary in without moving multiple players off the roster. He also admitted to some hesitation about an eight-year deal for a 30-year-old player. And expressed confidence in Buffalo’s ability to replace Tuch — 33 goals and 33 assists this season while playing 18 minutes, 59 seconds per game — with either someone from outside or the younger players already on the roster.
“He’s a good player, but we have a lot of faith in our group,” Kekäläinen said. “He’s going to be missed, but we’ll be fine.”
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
