What happened: The St. Louis Blues plan to buy out forward Jonathan Drouin's contract if he goes unclaimed on waivers. The 31-year-old carries a $4 million cap hit with one season remaining after arriving from the New York Islanders on March 6 in the Brayden Schenn deal. Under the current CBA, the club would owe the bought-out salary across the next two seasons.

Why it matters: The move frees cap space as Alexander Steen steps in as general manager, and it would be the franchise's first buyout since Doug Armstrong took over in 2010. Drouin managed just a goal and two assists in nine games after the trade, and St. Louis signaled it wants a clearer path for younger forwards heading into a competitive 2026-27 camp.

What to watch: Drouin must first clear waivers before the buyout becomes official, with younger forwards such as 2023 first-round pick Otto Stenberg in line to compete for a larger role in camp.