The St. Louis Blues have agreed to a mutual contract termination with Brandon Saad, the team announced Wednesday shortly after the veteran forward went unclaimed on waivers.
The 32-year-old forward will give up more than $5 million in salary by agreeing to the termination. In return, he will go on unconditional waivers Thursday, and if he clears, he will become an unrestricted free agent, able to sign elsewhere.
For the Blues, the termination means Saad’s entire $4.5 million cap hit comes off the books.
Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said the team tried to trade Saad before putting him on waivers Tuesday but could not find a suitable deal. He had one more season remaining on the five-year, $22.5 million free-agent contract he signed in 2021.
“If we could find a match, we would,” Armstrong said. “The market speaks and then you just react.”
Over the past four seasons, Saad has played 274 games for the Blues and is tied for the third-most goals on the team with Brayden Schenn and Robert Thomas (76) and is fifth in points (144).
But this season, Saad has just seven goals and 16 points in 43 games and has seen his average ice time drop to 14:36 per game. He has also been a healthy scratch five times.
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(Photo: Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)
