After a deal between the St. Louis Blues and the Buffalo Sabres was made, it all hindered on one big decision from the player being traded. Defenseman Colton Parayko was involved in the deal, and he had to waive his No-Trade Clause in order to complete the deal.
That was mid-day yesterday, and fast forward to today, it is a completely different story. Parayko has declined to waive his No-Trade Clause, and this deal with Buffalo, for now, has fallen through.
Officially, Colton Parayko has declined to waive his no-trade clause to Buffalo -- as is his contractual right.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 5, 2026
We will see where we go from here
This is an interesting development, as it seemed like things were trending in the direction of progress. But, as it is stated by Elliotte Friedman, it is his contractual right to decline a trade.
Let's be perfectly clear, Parayko might not be going to Buffalo, but that doesn't mean that Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong will not try to move him elsewhere. If anything, it might paint a clearer picture as to where No. 55 would waive his NTC to go. That gives Armstrong a better idea of a future suitor.
Earlier today, it was reported that Detroit is in the market for a defenseman, and initially, Justin Faulk seemed like a perfect fit. Now, the right-handed defenseman that they are looking for could be Parayko instead. That also might drive the return up as well.
For now Parayko will remain a member of the Blues post-trade deadline. This hinders the rebuild a bit, as the return from Buffalo was reported to be substantial with Radim Mrtka and a first-rounder as the rumored return.
We shall see what develops before 3 PM EST tomorrow.