Blue Jackets sign Luke Tuch to two-year contract

The Columbus Blue Jackets announced on Wednesday that they have signed forward Luke Tuch to a two-year, two-way contract. The team’s announcement did not include details as to the compensation Tuch will receive under the terms of the deal.

Tuch, who the Blue Jackets previously acquired from the Montreal Canadiens, Tuch put up 14 points in 68 regular season games with Montreal’s AHL affiliate Laval Rocket this past season.

A Boston University product who was chosen in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Tuch has yet to make his debut in the NHL, and his signing secures important forward depth for Columbus’ AHL affiliate Cleveland Monsters.

Tuch was a member of Team USA at the IIHF World Championships in 2023, and he served as an alternate captain in his junior and senior campaigns with the Terriers while playing in the NCAA.

Luke is the younger brother of longtime NHL winger and new Washington Capitals acquisition Alex Tuch.

It has been an eventful offseason in Ohio’s capital, as general manager Don Waddell navigated a complicated situation surrounding reigning Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski, who will return to the Blue Jackets after nixing a trade to Dallas.

Star scoring winger Kirill Marchenko has also reportedly requested a trade, but Waddell stated publicly that he would not move the 30-goal scorer, who still has one year remaining on his contract and will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights once it expires.

Once new head coach Rick Bowness took over behind the bench last winter, Columbus went from well out of the playoff race to holding down a berth for a meaningful stretch of time, but the group fell out of contention down the stretch to miss out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the sixth year in a row.