After 15 years of torture, the Buffalo Sabres finally turned things around in 2025/26, and not only that, they got red-hot in the second half of the season, finishing the regular season atop the Atlantic Division with 109 points.
In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they again showed immense promise, taking down the Boston Bruins before falling in dramatic fashion against the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. That’s given the organization immense optimism moving forward, but the team will look slightly different in 2026/27 after moving on from Bowen Byram, adding the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Byram isn’t the only player potentially on the way out, with pending free agent Alex Tuch being one of the top names available, and on Wednesday, his future with the team was officially addressed.
‘He Will Be Missed’: Sabres Confirm the Fate of Alex Tuch
GettyAlex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres.
Dating back to the regular season, many expected Alex Tuch to depart the Sabres in free agency, but given how hot they got late in the season, it made sense for them to keep him as they returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
It has already been reported that Tuch was on the way out of Buffalo one way or another, but now, General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen has confirmed the departure, stating that Tuch will be missed in Buffalo.
“He’s going to be missed but we’ll be fine.”
Buffalo Sabres Looking for a Sign-and-Trade With Alex Tuch
While Tuch is officially on the way out, the Sabres are looking to get one final asset for their veteran winger, as Kekalainen confirmed that while he’s leaving, the team are looking to acquire a piece from a rival team in a potential sign-and-trade. This happened last summer as well with Mitch Marner and the Toronto Maple Leafs, as he inked a deal with the Vegas Golden Knights while Toronto got Nicolas Roy in return for their long-time star winger.
This past season, Tuch posted 33 goals and 66 points in 79 games played, and now that this is the end in Buffalo, he finishes his career there as a very good and consistent performer, tallying 139 goals and 309 points in 360 games with his home-town team. As for where Tuch will end up, that is yet to be confirmed, but according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Washington Capitals right now are considered the favorite to land the 30-year-old veteran.
He added they will look at a sign-and-trade, with multiple sources indicating Washington as the favourite
It’s always tough to predict the return in a sign-and-trade, but given Tuch’s value and consistency over his time with the Sabres, it’s safe to say that there are many contenders out there looking to land a winger of Tuch’s talent and production level. Whether that be Toronto, Chicago, Washington or any number of teams looking to upgrade on the wing, there will be plenty of interest in him over the coming weeks, and for a Sabres team that were going to lose him anyway, if they can get a sign-and-trade done, it will be great business for GM Jarmo Kekalainen.
Buffalo Sabres GM Confirms Team’s Stance on Free Agent Alex Tuch