St. Louis Blues are officially buying out former 3rd-overall pick: Will be placed on waivers

He's the first NHL player bought out during the 2026 summer window, which closes at 5 p.m. ET today.

The move closes the book on one of the busiest pieces of the March 6 trade that sent longtime captain Brayden Schenn to the New York Islanders.

That deal brought back Drouin, goaltending prospect Marcus Gidlof, and two 2026 draft picks, including Colorado's first-rounder.

Drouin scored in his Blues debut but never settled into a consistent role over his half-season in St. Louis.

His $4 million cap hit for 2026-27 made him an obvious target once the Blues' offseason priorities took shape.

St. Louis used assets tied to that same Schenn return to remake its forward group this June, flipping Jordan Kyrou to Washington for Connor McMichael and a first-round pick, then adding Mason McTavish from Anaheim.

Both newcomers carry real term and cap commitments, and the Blues needed room to absorb them without touching other core pieces.

Buying out Drouin's remaining $2.67 million at a 67 percent multiplier frees roughly $1.33 million a year over two seasons, a modest number alone but a meaningful piece of a tighter summer.

Viewed as one transaction, St. Louis turned a 34-year-old captain into two first-round picks, a third-rounder, a goalie prospect, and a half-season of uneven veteran depth.

The buyout doesn't undo that return, but it confirms the Blues never saw Drouin as part of their long-term forward mix.

General manager Doug Armstrong has now converted nearly every piece from the Schenn deal into younger, longer-term assets like McMichael and McTavish.

Drouin's exit says less about his fit in St. Louis and more about how completely one deadline trade has been turned into pieces for next season.

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