Blues Investigate Leaked Parayko Trade Details

Botched deal with Sabres sparks internal probe at Blues organization

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The St. Louis Blues were left scrambling at the 2026 NHL trade deadline after news of a potential Colton Parayko trade to the Buffalo Sabres leaked before the deal was finalized. The Blues launched an internal investigation to determine how the information got out, but ultimately found no evidence of wrongdoing by team staff. The situation has put Parayko in an uncomfortable position, with some Sabres fans criticizing him for declining to waive his no-trade clause.

Why it matters

The botched Parayko trade highlights the challenges teams face in keeping trade negotiations private, especially in the social media era. The leak also damaged the relationship between Parayko and the Blues, potentially forcing the team to trade the defenseman despite his loyalty to the organization.

The details

The Blues had apparently agreed to trade Parayko to the Sabres the night before the trade deadline, but the deal fell through when Parayko declined to waive his no-trade clause. The Blues launched an investigation to determine how news of the trade got out before Parayko was even aware of it, but the team found no evidence that anyone on their side had leaked the information.

  • The trade was reportedly agreed to the night before the 2026 NHL trade deadline.
  • Parayko declined to waive his no-trade clause, effectively killing the deal.

The players

Colton Parayko

A defenseman for the St. Louis Blues who has a no-trade clause in his contract.

Buffalo Sabres

The NHL team that was reportedly set to acquire Parayko before the deal fell through.

St. Louis Blues

The NHL team that was investigating the leak of information about the potential Parayko trade.

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What they’re saying

“The optics of this trade were bad enough. The Blues had apparently sent Parayko to the Buffalo Sabres the night before the trade deadline. The only issue in the way was the administrative task of having Parayko waive his no-trade clause.”

— Elliotte Friedman, Insider (32 Thoughts Podcast)

What’s next

The Blues will likely need to trade Parayko in the offseason, as the relationship between the player and the team may have been fractured by the botched deal.

The takeaway

The leaked details of the potential Parayko trade highlight the challenges teams face in keeping trade negotiations private, and the importance of communication and transparency with players who have no-trade clauses. The situation has put Parayko in an uncomfortable position and may force the Blues to trade him, despite his loyalty to the organization.