Blues' Colton Parayko Declines to Waive No-Trade Clause for Sabres Deal

The defenseman has blocked a potential trade from St. Louis to Buffalo ahead of the NHL trade deadline.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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The St. Louis Blues had a trade framework in place to send defenseman Colton Parayko to the Buffalo Sabres, but the deal fell through after Parayko declined to waive his no-trade clause. Parayko, who has spent his entire NHL career with the Blues since being drafted in 2012, is in the fourth year of an eight-year contract with a full no-trade clause.

Why it matters

Parayko's decision to block the trade highlights the growing power of no-trade clauses in the NHL, which allow players to control their futures and reject potential deals. This could impact the Blues' plans ahead of the trade deadline as they look to reshape their roster, and it may force other teams interested in Parayko to get creative in their trade offers.

The details

The Blues and Sabres had agreed to the framework of a trade that would have sent Parayko to Buffalo, but the deal fell through when the defenseman declined to waive his no-trade clause. Parayko has missed the Blues' last three games amid the trade rumors, and he was in attendance for the team's game against the Seattle Kraken last night.

  • The NHL trade deadline is on Friday, March 6, 2026 at 3 p.m. ET.
  • Parayko declined to waive his no-trade clause on March 5, 2026, the day before the trade deadline.

The players

Colton Parayko

A defenseman who has spent his entire 8-year NHL career with the St. Louis Blues after being drafted by the team in 2012.

Buffalo Sabres

An NHL team that had agreed to a trade framework to acquire Parayko from the St. Louis Blues.

St. Louis Blues

The NHL team that had agreed to trade Colton Parayko to the Buffalo Sabres before the deal fell through.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Elliotte Friedman, Hockey Insider (X (formerly Twitter)

“With a 15-team no-trade list and reports that a Colton Parayko deal between the (St. Louis Blues) and (Buffalo Sabres) is agreed to—pending the player's approval—you have to imagine several other clubs are now jumping into the mix. This will either be wrapped up quickly … or things are about to get wild in a hurry. Moving families mid-season is a big decision for players. With the massive uptick in NMCs and no-trade clauses, get used to this scenario as rule changes continue to reshape the trade landscape.”

— Brian Lawton, NHL Network Analyst (X (formerly Twitter)

What’s next

With just 26 hours until the NHL Trade Deadline, the Blues and other teams interested in Parayko will need to quickly get his approval if he is going to be moved before the deadline.

The takeaway

Parayko's decision to block the trade to Buffalo highlights the growing power of no-trade clauses in the NHL, which allow players to control their futures and reject potential deals. This could significantly impact the Blues' plans ahead of the trade deadline as they look to reshape their roster, and it may force other teams interested in Parayko to get creative in their trade offers.