Blues place Jonathan Drouin on waivers to buy out contract
The St. Louis Blues announced Tuesday they have placed forward Jonathan Drouin on waivers for the purpose of buying out his contract.
With one year and $4 million remaining on Drouin’s deal, the Blues will be on the hook for a $1.33-million cap hit in both 2026-27 and 2027-28, according to PuckPedia.
The #StlBlues bought out the remaining 1 year $4M Cap Hit of Drouin's deal. Year 1: $1.33M Buyout Cap Hit ($2.67M Cap Savings) Year 2: $1.33M Buyout Cap Hit puckpedia.com/player/jonatha…
The 31-year-old Drouin was acquired by St. Louis in a deal with the New York Islanders at the NHL Trade Deadline last March, with Blues’ captain Brayden Schenn going to Long Island.
In 64 games with New York and St. Louis last season, Drouin scored four goals and added 20 assists for 24 points. In 12 NHL campaigns, Drouin has 111 goals and 287 assists for 398 points in 671 career regular-season games with the Islanders, Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning.
We've made qualifying offers to Connor McMichael and defenseman Leo Loof; Jonathan Drouin has been placed on waivers for the purpose of buying out his contract. stlblues.me/4v9MZW1 #stlblues
His most productive NHL season came in 2023-24 as a member of the Avalanche, where he finished with 19 goals and 37 assists for 56 points, hitting career highs in both assists and points.
Drouin has also skated in 43 Stanley Cup Playoff games, where he’s recorded six goals and 21 assists for 27 points. He was part of the Lightning’s 2015 Stanley Cup Final run, as well as their Eastern Conference Final appearance in 2016.
Taken No. 3 overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Drouin spent three seasons with the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads, helping the club win a Memorial Cup in 2012-13. Drouin was able to record back-to-back 100-point seasons with the Mooseheads.
In three QMJHL seasons, Drouin scored 77 goals and recorded 165 assists for 242 points in 128 regular-season games. In 50 playoff games, he posted 34 goals and 68 assists for 102 points.
He also represented Canada at both the 2013 and 2014 World Junior Championships.