St Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko denied a trade to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. He has a full no-trade clause and four years remaining on his contract after this season. That means he can deny any trade the Blues bring him, but ESPN's Kevin Weekes says Parayko may waive his no-trade clause for certain situations.
“Update Re [Blues] D Parayko, I’m told his preference as of now is to stay in the West, and he’s open to the [Los Angeles Kings] and [Anaheim Ducks] among potential landing spots,” Weekes reported.
Parayko is from Alberta, which is in Western Canada, and could be playing a role in this decision. It makes sense why he denied a trade to the Sabres if the West Coast is a mandate for him. The Edmonton Oilers already traded for a defenseman, and the Calgary Flames won't be buying. So a return to Alberta is unlikely for Parayko at this point.
Geographic preference makes sense as a priority for Parayko given his contract situation. His contract runs through 2030, so his new home will be his home for a long time. If he wants to remain with the Blues, where he has been since draft day in 2012, when St Louis took him in the third round.
The Los Angeles Kings have already made their big trade acquisition in Artemi Panarin. They have suffered some injuries since, but they did sign Panarin to an extension. So if the Kings want to hold onto assets and push for the playoffs next year, they could do that. The Anaheim Ducks are vying for a division title, but are full of veteran defenseman and may be looking for other pieces.
The San Jose Sharks could also trade for Parayko. They need a defenseman and have previously shown interest in Dougie Hamilton, who is also a tall, right-handed defenseman.
