After declining to waive his no-trade clause for a potential move to the Buffalo Sabres, defenseman Colton Parayko is reportedly prioritizing a stay in the Western Conference — with the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks at the top of his list.
The Buffalo Sabres made a deal today to acquire defenseman Colton Parayko. The 32-year-old defenseman reportedly declined the move to the Sabres with his no-trade clause, which means he can essentially dictate his next destination.
The Blues defenseman signed an eight-year, $52 million extension with St. Louis in 2021. The deal carries a $6.5 million annual cap hit and runs through the 2029-30 season. Because of the no-movement clause, the Blues cannot trade him without his approval.
NHL analyst Kevin Weekes further confirmed that Parayko wants to stay in the Western Conference and would reportedly be interested in the Los Angeles Kings or Anaheim Ducks as his top destinations.
Both California teams could make sense for different reasons; they look to strengthen their blue lines with a proven top-four defenseman who brings size, defensive reliability, and playoff experience.
Los Angeles has been starved for a reliable defenseman on their line this season, with Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin being disappointing this season, and Drew Doughty dealing with injuries. Parayko would be the perfect fit for the Kings' blue line.
If the Kings can somehow flip Cody Ceci for Colton Parayko and still keep Brandt Clarke and Drew Doughty, that would be a big win for Los Angeles, especially for a team that has been looking to solidify its defensive depth as it pushes to remain competitive in the Western Conference.
Meanwhile, Anaheim is already a dangerous contender this season, holding the second seed in the Pacific Division, just one point behind the Vegas Golden Knights. If the Ducks can somehow land Parayko, they could elevate their potential to a No. 1 seed in the division and become serious threats in the west.
Either way you slice it, Los Angeles needs to acquire Parayko, especially with him now saying that the Kings are at the top of his list as a destination. This move for Los Angeles is exactly what they need to solve their defensive problems.
Parayko has played 58 games this season and has one goal, 13 assists, and 14 points for the St. Louis Blues, and can quickly elevate the Kings' defense and help create offensive looks for the forwards.
Still, his contract now complicates the Blues' process with the other teams interested in Parayko, because his indication that he would only join Anaheim or Los Angeles lowers his trade value, and the Kings are most likely not going to give up much to acquire him.
For now, the deal appears imminent, and the Blues can either keep Parayko for the rest of the season or do as he wishes and trade him to one of the two California teams.
Whatever happens, we only have one more day until the trade deadline, tomorrow until 3:00 PM EST. Could this deal go through before that? Whatever deal happens, it will likely be on Parayko's terms, and the Blues' defenseman remains firmly in control of his decision to land on his next team.
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