Alex Tuch

Lore & Background

Tuch was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on June 21, 2017, as part of an agreement with the Minnesota Wild that Vegas would select Alex Tuch in the 2017 NHL expansion draft. (Haula was selected separately by Vegas from the Wild, and then Tuch was traded to Vegas for Haula and a conditional pick.) He was assigned to the AHL's Chicago Wolves to begin the 2017–18 season, recalled on October 15, and scored his first NHL goal that night against Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins. Tuch went on with Vegas to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final, where they lost in five games to the Washington Capitals. On October 19, 2018, the Golden Knights signed Tuch to a seven-year, $33.25 million contract extension. In July 2021, he underwent off-season shoulder surgery, but he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in November 2021 and returned to play on March 4, 2022, missing about three months rather than the majority of the 2021–22 season.

In Their Own Story

The arena lights hummed above the T-Mobile Arena ice, casting long shadows as players warmed up before another critical matchup. Tuch laced his skates tight, feeling the familiar bite of the blades against his boots. He glanced toward the bench where veterans gathered, knowing this season demanded more than just talent—it required the grit he brought from Buffalo to Las Vegas.

Reader's Guide

Tuch played for the Vegas Golden Knights from 2017 to 2021. He was traded to the Buffalo Sabres on November 4, 2021, along with Peyton Krebs, a 2022 first-round draft pick, and a 2023 second-round draft pick, in exchange for Jack Eichel and a 2023 third-round draft pick. He made his Sabres debut on December 29, 2021, and scored his first goal as a Sabre on January 1, 2022. On June 24, 2026, as part of a sign-and-trade deal, Tuch signed an eight-year, $84 million contract with the Sabres before being traded to the Washington Capitals in exchange for forward David Kämpf and a 2027 third-round pick.

Did You Know?

• Tuch was selected 18th overall in the 2014 NHL entry draft by the Minnesota Wild, not by the Buffalo Sabres.
• He was not selected by the Golden Knights in the 2017 Expansion Draft; he was traded to Vegas as part of an agreement that they would select Alex Tuch from Minnesota, with Erik Haula selected separately.
• Tuch scored his first NHL goal on October 15, 2017, after being recalled from the AHL's Chicago Wolves.
• He scored his first career hat-trick on October 20, 2022, in a 6–3 win over the Calgary Flames.