Hockey Hall of Famer Chris Pronger shared his insight on St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko’s decision to invoke his no-trade clause (NTC) and block a potential trade to the Buffalo Sabres.
According to reports, the Blues and Sabres had reached an agreement in principle on a deal that would have sent Parayko to the Buffalo Sabres. However, the move required Parayko’s approval due to his contract’s no-trade clause. He ultimately declined to waive it, nullifying the trade.
Chris Pronger suggested that the public leaking of trade discussions before final approval was a key factor in Parayko’s refusal. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Pronger wrote:
“When trade talks leak before a deal is done, it’s rarely accidental. That kind of stuff can create unnecessary noise for the player and teams involved. In this case, it may have backfired.”
Colton Parayko is currently signed to an eight-year, $52 million contract with the Blues. His contract carries a full no-trade clause through the 2027-28 season, meaning the Blues cannot trade him without his approval, and that he must waive it for any trade to proceed.
Colton Parayko would have brought significant playoff experience
Had Parayko agreed to the proposed trade to the Buffalo Sabres, he would have brought significant playoff experience to the team.
The 32-year-old veteran has an extensive postseason pedigree, having won the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019 and appearing in deep playoff runs multiple times.
The Sabres (37-19-6), meanwhile, are aiming to end the NHL’s longest active playoff drought, which stands at 14 seasons. Their dominant 5-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday propelled them into second place in the Atlantic Division, matching the Tampa Bay Lightning’s (38-18-4) total atop the division.
Colton Parayko has accumulated 14 points through a goal and 13 assists in 58 games for the Blues (23-29-9), who are poised to miss the postseason this term.
Edited by Abhishek Dilta
