Blues’ Colton Parayko declines to waive no-trade clause to join Sabres
Whoa.
After it was reported that Colton Parayko was headed to the Buffalo Sabres, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has reported that the St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko will instead remain in Missouri for the time being.
The deal would have sent prospect Radim Mrtka and a first-round pick to St. Louis in return.
Officially, Colton Parayko has declined to waive his no-trade clause to Buffalo -- as is his contractual right. We will see where we go from here
Parayko, 32, has a goal and 13 assists for 14 points in 58 games this season. He is currently third on the Blues in average ice time with 22 minutes and 23 seconds per game.
The St. Albert, Alberta native has been a stalwart defenseman throughout his 10-plus year career with St. Louis. Initially selected by the Blues in the third round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Parayko played a huge role during the St. Louis’ run to a Stanley Cup championship in 2019, putting up two goals and 10 assists for 12 points in 26 postseason games while averaging just over 25 minutes of ice time.
Parayko is in the fourth season of an eight-year, $52 million deal. His contract contains a full no-trade clause, so a deal to Buffalo could only be finalized with his approval.
Mrtka, 18, was selected ninth overall by the Sabres in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. In 35 games with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds this season, the Czech national has a goal and 28 assists for 29 points. He has also played four games for the AHL’s Rochester Americans this season, where he registered an assist.
Standing at 6-foot-6, Mrtka is a big-bodied, puck-moving defenseman that can log significant minutes, according to Daily Faceoff’s prospect analyst Steven Ellis.
Regardless of what’s next, it’s remarkable that the Sabres, who have not made the postseason since 2011 and were struggling to begin this season, have put themselves in a position to be buyers at the trade deadline. With 78 points through 61 games, Buffalo sits just two points back of the Tampa Bay Lightning for first place in the Atlantic Division.