5 NHL Free-Agency Landing Spots for Alex Tuch After Sabres' Playoff Elimination

The Buffalo Sabres' magical season came to a crashing end after a heartbreaking Game 7 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night.

Unfortunately for Buffalo, the offseason waits for no one, and questions abound about the status of pending unrestricted free agent Alex Tuch.

The 30-year-old winger put up 66 points in 79 regular-season games and would be a welcome addition to most teams' top-six forwards.

Let's take a look at five teams that could be bidding for Tuch's services on July 1.

Buffalo Sabres

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It makes perfect sense that Tuch would return to the team he's currently on.

After all, why mess with a good thing? He's posted solid seasons since being traded to Buffalo in the blockbuster Jack Eichel trade, and, as a Syracuse native, being in Upstate New York has its perks, including being closer to home.

The major issue for the Sabres is whether they'll have enough cap space. With around $13 million under the cap and restricted free agents Peyton Krebs and Zach Benson to sign, general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen will have a difficult decision to make.

And, after not recording a point in the series loss to Montreal, there will be questions on whether Tuch will be worth the huge salary he'll demand when he goes to market.

The price of success in a cap world is that you can't keep everyone. The Sabres are about to live that reality.

Chicago Blackhawks

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Connor Bedard

It might be finally time for general manager Kyle Davidson to open up the wallet and get Connor Bedard some badly needed help on the wing.

Bedard led Chicago with 75 points, and no other player on the roster cracked 60. It's a one-man show in Chicago, and that needs to change if the Blackhawks want to compete in the ultra-competitive Central Division.

Money won't be an issue for Chicago, which has over $40 million in cap space. The question is, will Davidson be desperate enough to make an offer large enough to lure Tuch?

Columbus Blue Jackets

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Alex Tuch and Connor Garland

For a team that wants to change things around, what better way to do that than by spending on a winger that's badly needed?

Coach Rick Bowness gave a blistering end-of-season press conference, blasting the culture in the locker room. Adding a solid player like Tuch could help alleviate that.

The Blue Jackets were in the bottom half of the league in goals per game during the 2025-26 season and have over $34 million in available cap space.

There's a fit there, and it wouldn't be a surprise if general manager Don Waddell decided to fulfill his coach's wishes by making major changes to the roster, such as signing Tuch.

New York Rangers

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Alex Tuch and Jaroslav Chmelar

For the Rangers, paying up in free agency is a given, even in a watered-down 2026 class.

For general manager Chris Drury, the quickest way to retool without sacrificing his team's future is to splash the cash and sign the best one available. And it's not like the Rangers don't have a huge need for a winger.

The Blueshirts found something late in the season with a top line of Alexis Lafrenière, Mika Zibanejad, and Gabe Perreault, but the rest of the top-six forwards leave a lot to be desired.

New York has around $26.8 million available in cap space and could have enough money to make a competitive offer to Tuch on the open market.

Pittsburgh Penguins

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Alex Tuch and Sidney Crosby

The Penguins are in an interesting spot this offseason.

There were plenty of expectations that Pittsburgh would be picking high in this year's draft, but a surprise run during the 2025-26 season saw the Pens stunning the hockey world by making the postseason.

Obviously, Pittsburgh is driven by Sidney Crosby's heroics year on year. At the age of 38, he is getting closer to the end of his career, so the Penguins can't fully rebuild. With Evgeni Malkin also a free agent, this could be another offseason of change in the Steel City.

General manager Kyle Dubas has done an admirable job of being patient and rebuilding the Penguins' prospect pool. But with Crosby not getting any younger, does Dubas pivot and sign Tuch in an effort to squeeze out another year of contention with 87 in tow?

Pittsburgh has over $42 million in salary-cap space, so money will be no issue. It's more of a question of fit and an honest evaluation of where the Penguins are in terms of contention.