St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko has decided to stay put for now, invoking his no-trade clause to nix a move that would have sent him to the Buffalo Sabres, league sources tell The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun.
The teams had agreed upon the framework for a potential deal on Wednesday, which the Blues then took to Parayko for his approval. In 2021, he signed an eight-year, $52 million contract that includes full no-trade protection.
The Blues were playing in Seattle on Wednesday night, but Parayko was not in the lineup because of back spasms. He went to the rink with the team in the morning and learned of the possible trade later in the day. He was at the game and was seen leaving the team dressing room.
After contemplating the move, Parayko decided to remain in the only NHL city that he’s known since the Blues drafted him in the third round (No. 86) in 2012.
Parayko has been the Blues’ No. 1 defenseman since Alex Pietrangelo departed in free agency in 2020, but has struggled this season. After setting career bests with 16 goals and 36 points in 2024-25, he has one goal and 14 points in 58 games in 2025-26, with a minus-14 rating.
The 32-year-old’s contract carries a $6.5 million cap hit and runs through 2030. For the final two seasons, the no-trade clause is modified into a partial no-trade.
There had been reports on Tuesday that Buffalo and St. Louis were in discussions to send center Robert Thomas to the Sabres, but that deal didn’t materialize.
It’s not known whether the Blues and Sabres have ended talks about Thomas.
What it means for the Sabres
The Sabres will now need to pivot to other options to address their need on the blue line. Still, their pursuit of Parayko and Thomas — even if unsuccessful — showed that new general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen is willing to put Buffalo’s future assets on the table to help this team now.
The Sabres have the best record in the NHL since Dec. 9 and are just two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for first place in the Atlantic Division. Adding Parayko would have been Buffalo’s big swing, given the assets required to get him and the cap hit he has. Now Kekäläinen can use those assets to pivot elsewhere.
The market has also thinned out, though, after the Calgary Flames traded MacKenzie Weegar to the Utah Mammoth. The Philadelphia Flyers’ Rasmus Ristolainen is one of the best options left on defense, but the Sabres could also look to add a forward. They will be a team to watch in the next 24 hours. — Fairburn
Is it a surprise?
Not completely.
After making the Blues’ roster in 2015, Parayko moved to the city year-round and has become a huge part of the community. Whenever the Blues needed a player to promote anything in the offseason, it was always Parayko who responded. It got to the point where teammates would tell him to move back home if he planned to get any free time.
Parayko is also dating a woman whose family owns the famous Imo’s Pizza restaurant chain in St. Louis. There was a reason he signed an eight-year, $52 million contract with the Blues that included a no-trade clause. — Rutherford
What it means for the Blues
Parayko got his wish, but now what?
The 32-year-old is certainly aware of the Blues’ intentions with him and that they may be approaching him again about accepting another trade. He’ll have the right to veto any deal for the next two seasons until his full no-trade clause becomes a modified no-trade clause, at which point he’ll provide a 15-team no-trade list to the Blues.
The club, however, is clearly looking at a longer retool, if not a rebuild, and Parayko will have to decide at some point whether he wants to be part of that. He seems to be for now. — Rutherford
