One of the biggest deals of this year’s NHL trade deadline had reportedly gone through on Wednesday night. The Buffalo Sabres had apparently landed their coveted defenseman in Colton Parayko.
News hit about a deal being in place between the Sabres and the St. Louis Blues, with the only holdup being Parayko needing to officially waive his no-trade clause.
Well, that didn’t go so well.
Parayko enforced his no-trade clause, effectively nixing the deal. As insider Elliotte Friedman initially reported, it was Parayko’s right to shoot down any move at this year’s NHL trade deadline.
Now, does this mean the Parayko deal is dead? Not necessarily. The deal could still go through. However, depending on the reasons why Parayko shot the deal down, the trade may well be over.
It’s unclear why Parayko didn’t approve the trade. However, Kevin Weekes reported that Parayko’s preference is to stay in the West Coast with teams like the LA Kings and Anaheim Ducks being among his preferred choices.
Whatever the situation, the Blues and Sabres will either have to get back to the drawing board or just shake hands and walk away.
As for Parayko, he could turn into a villain in Buffalo and potentially more of a hero in St. Louis.
NHL Trade Deadline Not Kind to Sabres
Thus far, the Sabres have not been able to pull off any deals at this year’s trade deadline. The club has reportedly been close to Robert Thomas, another of the Blues’ players on the block.
That trade, nevertheless, did not progress very far.
The chatter has also linked the Sabres to other defensemen such as Justin Faulk (another Blues player), Tyler Myers, and Connor Murphy.
Faulk remains in St. Louis, Myers is in Dallas, and Murphy is in Edmonton. The trend seems to be players preferring to go to bona find contenders over aspiring ones like the Sabres.
Buffalo still has some runway to get something done. While it may seem dire at this point, there may be an opportunity to get something across the finish line with about 24 hours to go until the window officially closes on the 2026 NHL trade deadline.
Sabres Could Still Pivot to Other Options
The move now seems for the Sabres to pivot in what’s left of this year’s NHL trade deadline. With most of the rumored pieces off the board, the Sabres may have to settle for a more affordable piece.
Perhaps someone like Oliver Ekman-Larsson from the Toronto Maple Leafs could be a good fit? While the chatter has been that the Sabres want someone beefier, Ekman-Larsson wouldn’t be a bad fallback option.
The San Jose Sharks also have several blueliners available this season. Perhaps someone like Mario Ferraro could still be in play. Veteran Nick Leddy might not be a bad pickup, either.
Ultimately, it all depends on what the Sabres have in the works. Since the Parayko deal is likely dead in the water, the Sabres could circle back to other conversations had at this year’s NHL trade deadline. That could lead to a last-minute deal, potentially landing a solid piece in Buffalo.
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