Confirmed Trade: [WSH/BUF] Alex Tuch (signs 8 years, $10.5M AAV) for David Kampf, 2027 3rd round pick

[Dr Jan Itor]

a 30 million 3rd line is impressive

Ovechkin isn't making $15M this season.

 

[DJN21]

Im usually not the bitter type but he can fvvk all the way off

 

[NYNC99]

let’s forget about the contract for a second:

What do folks believe Tuch will produce this season with the Caps?

He’s going from playing on first line with Thompson to playing somewhere in the top 9 with caps right?

I would also assume his new center will not be as good as Thompson.

So fewer total points for Tuch?

 

[Master Bill]

A Protas-PLD-Kyrou
Leonard-I Protas-Wilson
Ovi-Strome-Tuch
Beauvillier-Sourdif-Frank

Not too shabby.

That 3rd line is gonna average 70+ pts playing against 31 other 3rd lines next season

 

[SuperScript29]

Jesus, $10 mil 8 years term for a 30 year old?

 

[Selanne00008]

A little easier to do with a $300M+ total contract.

I can assure you in Buffalo. There is 0 quality of life difference between 9.5M or 10.5m annually for 8 years.

 

[BallardEra]

Welp. Good luck Washington. I am glad Sabres didn't go there at 10.5. Especially for 8 years.
Hope it works out for him. I'm just a bit surprised he wouldn't want to play for his home town team for like, 9.75?

Josh Allen sais it best. Once you make Millions of dollars a year, what kind of quality of life is actually different?

But, good for him! Who knows what everyones real reasons are.

These are athletes who want to maximize their career earnings.

You and I would be doing the EXACT same thing.

Loyalty?

This is a business.

 

[Kjoe1988]

That’s insane.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I can assure you in Buffalo. There is 0 quality of life difference between 9.5M or 10.5m annually for 8 years.

Yeah, but that extra $8M compounded for 20+ years makes a pretty big difference.

 

[AcerComputer]

I can assure you in Buffalo. There is 0 quality of life difference between 9.5M or 10.5m annually for 8 years.

Unless you have a family to feed

 

[goach]

I guess money outweighed the north west. Good for him though. Underpaid on last contract. Washington will have a very good investment for 4-5 years or more. He's a quality player

 

[647Hockey]

How is Tuch worth $10.5M/yr to age 38?

 

[Foppberg]

I can assure you in Buffalo. There is 0 quality of life difference between 9.5M or 10.5m annually for 8 years.

Or anywhere.

 

[Kuz]

How is Tuch worth $10.5M/yr to age 38?

He isnt gonna be worth it by the end of it, but cap will have increased a lot by then so it have less impact as he is around 10 % of the cap now and will move down closer to 7-8 % in the end. Would also Guess he will be a LTIR canditate if he falls off enough.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

a 30 million 3rd line is impressive

Not close to $30M but I get your point. Strome is $5M (one of the best contracts in the league), Tuch is $10, Ovi will probably come in around $6.

 

[Mayraydown]

Not close to $30M but I get your point. Strome is $5M (one of the best contracts in the league), Tuch is $10, Ovi will probably come in around $6.

Yeah, I forgot strome had a great contract thought he was closer to 8

 

[GordonGraham]

10.5 x5 good
10.5 x8 bad

 

[HTFN]

He isnt gonna be worth it by the end of it, but cap will have increased a lot by then so it have less impact as he is around 10 % of the cap now and will move down closer to 7-8 % in the end. Would also Guess he will be a LTIR canditate if he falls off enough.

The parallels between Tuch and Oshie contracts are kind of surprising in that sense. Both signed 8 year contracts at 30, Oshie much closer to the 7-8% cap figure but both deals that were panned as unlikely to age well.

I don't think it's really surprising anyone in the industry by saying that the last 4 years are a gamble, but I am slightly surprised by the number of people who don't think it's an acceptable roll of the dice. They now have like half a decade to figure out if they need to move some numbers around.

 

[crowi]

A lot of people say Keks is a bad GM. I'd say passing on the deal Tuch signed is the best move for Sabres going forward. Washington is paying for his retirement, not his heroics.

 

[max21]

Well the Caps have a squad now. I get the optics but it’s funny how the Sabres get good and then players just leave lol

 

[Marshall]

The parallels between Tuch and Oshie contracts are kind of surprising in that sense. Both signed 8 year contracts at 30, Oshie much closer to the 7-8% cap figure but both deals that were panned as unlikely to age well.

Nice catch.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

Yeah, I forgot strome had a great contract thought he was closer to 8

It’s one of the reasons they’re probably ok with overpaying Tuch by a few million. They have everyone else locked up on good contracts, including Kyrou at $8 for 5 more years and Alexsei Protas with arguably the best contract in the league ($3.375M until 2029). They don’t have a roster filled with old dudes on bad contracts like they did when Backstrom, Oshie, Kuznetsov, etc were all too old and overpaid.

 

[Mogo]

Package #4 and #9 with some other stuff for Robertson?

Reports say #4 has requested a trade to Florida

 

[ItWasJustified]

10.5 x5 good
10.5 x8 bad

In year 8 the league will be 34 teams, the current 32 owners will have $5-8 billion in expansion fees to share between themselves and the salary cap is $140 million.

 

[Holtbyisms]

Why can't both be true?

Analytics can suggest its a great move for 2-3 years with diminishing returns past that time. But what player like Tuch can you acquire for a 3rd rounder, and/or on FA?

I mean look at their cap situation. 2030-31 is looking like the great exodus. If they don't do much with that group, it's rebuild time like it or not, because none of those contracts are going to look good in 4 years

So in short, the Caps might not be looking past that 3-4 years mark anyway because they see the wall coming.

You're not factoring in the fact that young guys like Leonard, Hutson and Ilya Protas are likely star level players. Hutson and Protas could be superstar level depending on how they develop but their development metrics certainly put them there now. Not to mention the Capitals have a upper 10-15 prospect group in the NHL and almost all their picks. They haven't sold their soul to aquire Kyrou and Tuch.