NHL contract grades: Alex Tuch is worth the long-term risk for the win-now Capitals

The Washington Capitals have signed forward Alex Tuch to an eight-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $10.5 million. Tuch, who is 30 years old, benefited from a shallow free-agent market for top-six wingers after players like Kyle Connor, Martin Necas, Artemi Panarin, and Adrian Kempe signed extensions early. While the deal is considered reasonable given current market conditions and the rising salary cap, analysts note that the back half of the contract carries risk due to potential age-related decline.