Jonathan Drouin is officially a free agent.
The St. Louis Blues announced they placed Drouin on waivers to buyout his contract, which had a remaining year left on his deal at $4MM AAV. The 31-year-old was acquired by the Blues in a trade package from the New York Islanders back at this year’s deadline as part of the Brayden Schenn deal. After 21 points in 55 games with the Islanders, he followed up with three points in nine games with St. Louis in 2025-26.
The buyout will last two years on the Blues’ books. Year one of the buyout will save them $2.67MM on their cap savings, but for both years, the buyout will tally a $1.33MM cap hit against St. Louis.
Drouin, despite this, intends to continue his NHL career, as reported by Pierre LeBrun. Formerly the third-overall pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning back in 2013, perhaps there is a home that would take in Drouin’s services on a low-end, prove-it deal. The Sainte-Agathe, Quebec, native has competed in 671 career NHL regular-season games, totaling 111 goals and 398 points. Notably, he peaked at a career-high 56 points in 79 games in 2023-24 with the Colorado Avalanche in the first season after he ended a six-year, $5.5MM AAV deal in Montreal.
The Blues have $13MM in cap space after their transactions, which included tendering qualifying offers to recent acquisition Connor McMichael and defensive prospect Leo Loof.
More to come.
