The New York Rangers had an unenviable task on paper to bring in strong reinforcements to help improve their roster and their overall outlook heading into next season. The free agency class was notably weak, especially when it came to scoring forwards. The top option by default was Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres, and he was linked to the Rangers. With both sides unable to reach an agreement on a contract, Tuch and the Sabres agreed to a sign-and-trade deal with the Washington Capitals, which ultimately turned out to be an eight-year, $10.5 million per year contract.
On paper this eliminated a top scoring forward for the Rangers, and he ended up on a division rival. But the Rangers ensured they would eliminate an offseason need, trading for Vegas Golden Knights scoring winger Pavel Dorofeyev, and signing him to a seven-year, $11 million per year contract. Thus far, weeks after free agency, it looks like the Rangers won out by missing on Tuch.
The Athletic's Dom Luszczyszyn recently wrote an article naming the 10 worst contracts in the NHL currently based on projected value over the remainder of their deals. In at the No. 9 spot was Tuch, who Luszczyszyn said might live up to the contract the first couple of years, but the aging is a concern. With that, the Rangers sure seem like they dodged a bullet.
Former Rangers free agency target Alex Tuch named one of the 10 worst contracts in NHL currently
"But even in a rising cap world, $10.5 million is a lot of money to be giving a 30-year-old power forward. That’s the primary issue here, as it’s unlikely that Tuch will age as gracefully as the cap is set to rise," writes Luszczyszyn. "The deal might look OK for the first couple of years, but things could get really ugly in the second half of it as Tuch approaches 35 and beyond. A lot of Tuch’s comps had a relatively harsh age curve that could spell trouble for Washington."
Tuch is more of a fit for the Capitals, as they are trying to make one last run to a Stanley Cup title with Alex Ovechkin on the roster. They sent over a 2027 third-round draft pick to get the signing rights to Tuch. They also brought in Jordan Kyrou to really stack their forward depth.
Before the Capitals deal even happened, there was apprehension among Rangers fans about potentially giving a long-term contract to Tuch. It would likely take eight figures annually to sign him on a term that would take him close to 40-years-old. It certainly didn't make sense for the Rangers, who are trying to get younger, while competing.
Let's not forget that Tuch, despite having his second-consecutive 30-plus goal season, disappeared in the playoffs for Buffalo. Despite having four goals and three assists in the Sabres' six-game, openign round series against the Boston Bruins, Tuch was held without a point throughout the entirety of their seven-game series against the Montreal Canadiens. To make matters worse, Tuch carried an abysmal minus-8 plus/minus rating. That wasn't exactly a selling point for fanbases that were at least interested in the possibility of their favorite teams signing Tuch to a lucrative contract.
The Capitals had no problem with Tuch's disappearing act, and gave him the $84 million contract. As for the Rangers, they traded multiple draft picks, including first-rounders in 2026 and 2028 in exchange for Dorofeyev, and signed him to a $77 million contract. The hope is that Dorofeyev will thrive in New York and become a pivotal piece of their franchise for years to come.
We'll see over time if the Rangers made the right choice passing on Tuch. But as of now, he has to prove some of his critics wrong over the deal he signed with Washington.
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