Colton Parayko's contract goes through 2030 with a $6.5 million cap hit. Isaiah J. Downing / Imagn Images
March 4, 2026Updated 10:30 pm EST
The St. Louis Blues agreed on Wednesday to trade defenseman Colton Parayko to the Buffalo Sabres, according to league sources. The deal is dependent on Parayko’s approval, as he has a no-trade clause in his contract.
As of the start of the Blues’ game against the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday, shortly after 9 p.m. CT, there was no indication from the team, Parayko or league sources whether he intended to waive to go to Buffalo.
The potential return is not yet known.
Parayko is under no obligation to make a fast decision. He could follow in the footsteps of Tyler Myers, the Vancouver Canucks defenseman with a no-movement clause who recently held off on accepting a potential trade to the Detroit Red Wings to see if a better option became available. Myers was then traded to the Dallas Stars on Wednesday.
The NHL trade deadline is Friday at 2 p.m. CT.
Parayko was not in the lineup against the Kraken, which was expected, as he’s been dealing with back spasms. He is with the team in Seattle, and coach Jim Montgomery said he expected Parayko to be “a player” on the team’s three-game road trip, so the issue seems minor.
There were also 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.
Parayko, 32, is the Blues’ No. 1 defenseman and is under contract through 2030 with a $6.5 million cap hit. But he 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.
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