Parayko 'Somewhat Blindsided' by Trade Involving the Sabres

“With more time to contemplate the decision, it might’ve been different. But being somewhat blindsided by the situation, he couldn’t suddenly decide on Buffalo,” wrote Rutherford. This was after conversations with Parayko’s agent Gerry Johannson.

When TSN and NHL insider Darren Dreger broke the news that a trade had been worked out and all Parayko had to do was approve it, “That’s when my phone started blowing up,” Parayko said. “That’s my understanding, at least. I’m not really sure, to be honest, because I was trying to make my own phone calls and figure out my own personal stuff.”

“That was sort of the match on the gasoline,” Johannson said. “It said the trade was pending (player approval), so actually Darren was accurate.

Ultimately, Parayko couldn’t bring himself to leave St. Louis. The public pressure that came from people messaging him and trying to find out what he was doing, “With the person that he is, it was hard on him,” said Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist. “Seeing him, you knew how much he was hurting.”

“I can barely decide if I want a cappuccino or latte when I go to Starbucks — it takes me five minutes,” Parayko said. “It takes me time to make decisions, especially a decision of that magnitude.”

In the end, he politely declined the trade. “I love wearing the Blue Note. This is my 11th season here, and it’s a special thing. Yeah, I’m just happy to be a Blue.” Interestingly, when Parayko called the Sabres to let them know he was staying put, he was too polite. GM Jarmo Kekäläinen called Johansson and said, ‘Gerry, I think there’s still a chance.’ I said, ‘That’s him just being nice.’ He tried his hardest to say ‘no’ in such a polite way that I think they thought maybe it was still on.”