The Anaheim Ducks are one of the more intriguing teams to watch as Friday’s 3 p.m. ET trade deadline approaches and a sudden development on Thursday may have just handed them a golden opportunity.
Parayko Blocks Trade To Buffalo
What looked like a done deal on Wednesday night quickly unraveled on Thursday morning.
The St. Louis Blues had reached a trade agreement to send veteran defenseman Colton Parayko to the Buffalo Sabres, with the framework including 18-year-old defensive prospect Radim Mrtka and a first-round pick heading to St. Louis.
The deal hinged entirely on whether Parayko would waive his full no-trade clause.
He didn’t and that decision flipped the trade market on its head.
Parayko Open To Joining Ducks
ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported Thursday that Parayko’s preference is to remain in the Western Conference, and that he’s open to the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks among potential landing spots.
Parayko, a native of Alberta, wanted to stay on the West Coast, and with his contract running through 2030, wherever he lands will be his home through the 2029-30 season.
The 32-year-old is in the fourth year of an eight-year, $6.5 million per year deal and is averaging 22:24 of ice time per game this season. He has compiled 78 goals and 309 points over 781 career games and was a central figure on the Blues team that won the Stanley Cup in 2019.
This season he has been sidelined at times with back spasms, but remains one of the most physically imposing and reliable shutdown defenders available on the market.
Why the Ducks Need To Make A Deal
Anaheim’s surprising 2025-26 campaign has the Ducks sitting in fifth place in the Western Conference standings with 71 points in 61 games (34-24-3).
Yet despite their success, they still have a glaring hole on the right side of their blue line.
Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas were supposed to provide a shutdown presence on the right side but that hasn’t quite been the case. Both defenders are expected to depart in the offseason, making the need for a long-term solution even more urgent.
With a young core headlined by Beckett Sennecke, Leo Carlsson, and Cutter Gauthier beginning to mature, Anaheim is entering the phase where stabilizing the blue line becomes critical.
Parayko checks every box. He’s a big 6-foot-6, right-shot defender who has logged top-pairing minutes for over a decade and carries a manageable $6.5 million cap hit that Anaheim can absorb without retention.
The Ducks enter the deadline with over $11 million in available salary cap space and a significant stockpile of draft picks, giving GM Pat Verbeek the ammunition to be aggressive if he chooses.
Ristolainen Enters the Picture
If Parayko ultimately steers toward Los Angeles or remains in St. Louis, Anaheim still has other options on the market.
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen may be the most realistic backup plan.
Ristolainen is another towering right-shot defenseman currently on trade boards, coming off an impressive Olympic performance where he earned a bronze medal with Finland.
Injury concerns could bring down his overall value. He has played just 116 games over the past three seasons and his lack of trade protection makes a deal far easier to execute than Parayko’s.
The Parayko no-trade clause drama may also benefit Ristolainen’s market directly. Teams that missed out on the Blues blueliner are now pivoting their attention elsewhere.
His contract carries a $5.1 million AAV through next season, giving Anaheim a short-term option with room to reassess.
Multiple sources have indicated the Flyers would listen to offers in line with what the Boston Bruins received for Brandon Carlo last year — a first-round pick, a fourth-round pick, and a prospect.
That’s a cost Anaheim could realistically absorb.
The Clock is Ticking
With the deadline arriving Friday at 3 p.m. ET, both situations are moving fast.
The Parayko drama remains the most fluid. His preference for the West means Anaheim is a realistic landing spot. Ristolainen, on the other hand, carries no trade protection and is far easier to move.
All eyes now turn to Pat Verbeek — will he act to secure Anaheim’s blue line before the deadline slams shut?
