After a disastrous finish to the 2025-26 season, the Detroit Red Wings will be a big team to watch this offseason. It is clear that they need to improve their group if they hope to snap their 10-year playoff drought. With that in mind, this summer is shaping up to be a big one for Hockeytown.
The Red Wings are entering the summer with among the most cap space in the NHL. Thanks to the team-friendly deals of Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymon and Dylan Larkin, Detroit has extra wiggle room for some serious spending. Due to this, they should be looking to upgrade their roster through trades and the free-agent market.
One big area that the Red Wings should be looking to improve this summer is their top-six -- specifically on the team's top wing. Adding another star top-six winger, in particular, would be huge for a Red Wings club that is looking to take that next step.
When looking at this summer's pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs), there is one player who stands out from the rest that the Red Wings should strongly consider pursuing if he hits the market: Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres.
Why the Red Wings should target Alex Tuch this offseason
Throughout the season, Alex Tuch and the Buffalo Sabres have yet to meet on the same page with contract extensions. If Tuch ends up testing the free-agent market instead of extending with the Sabres, the Red Wings need to make signing him their top priority. He is exactly the kind of star power forward they could use in their top-six right now.
Tuch is the kind of player that can make any lineup better. In this hypothetical signing, he'd be a perfect match on the Red Wings' first line with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. Having said that, he's also a great fit for the second line, should Detroit opt to give a star sniper like Alex DeBrincat some extra firepower.
Tuch would also provide the Red Wings with another option for both their power play and penalty kill, giving the lineup more versatility. He's known for his two-way play, which is something the Red Wings prioritize when it comes to their players. That kind of smart hockey sense would no doubt alleviate a lot of the burden from captain Dylan Larkin on defensive responsibilities.
Tuch had another strong regular season with the Sabres this year, recording 33 goals, 66 points, 82 hits, and a plus-24 rating in 79 games. He also scored 36 goals in two of his three previous seasons before this campaign, which makes him among the higher tier of goal-scorers in the league.
Ultimately, with the Red Wings needing to be better in 2026-27, Tuch should be their top free-agent target if he is available on July 1. However, given his importance to the Sabres' roster, the possibility of him extending with Buffalo is undoubtedly there. It all depends on what the Red Wings can offer the star forward.
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