Blues to place Brandon Saad on unconditional waivers, will terminate contract

After clearing waivers Wednesday and being assigned to the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds, left winger Brandon Saad has elected to mutually terminate his contract with the St. Louis Blues.

The transaction can become official after Saad is placed on unconditional waivers Thursday and presumably clears on Friday. The agreement will see Saad sacrifice his remaining salary for this season as well as the $4.5 million owed next season, the final year of his five-year pact. The move allows Saad to become an unrestricted free agent and find his next NHL destination rather than suit up in the minors for the foreseeable future.

Through 43 appearances with the Blues this season, Saad has struggled, coming up with seven goals and nine assists for 16 points. The 32-year-old Pittsburgh native has also been a healthy scratch on five occasions.

Joining the Blues in 2021 as an unrestricted free agent, Saad’s first season in St. Louis saw him finish with 49 points, four shy of his career high he set twice previously while with the Columbus Blue Jackets. In all, the veteran of 906 NHL games has registered 260 goals and 255 assists for 515 points counting stops with the Blue Jackets, Colorado Avalanche, Blues, and two separate showings with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Originally chosen 43rd overall by the Blackhawks in the 2011 NHL Draft, Saad was a two-time Stanley Cup champion with Chicago as he lifted Lord Stanley in both 2013 and 2015. In all, through 103 postseason appearances, Saad has notched 27 goals and 28 assists for 55 points.

For the Blues, the club sits 23-24-4 on the season and five points back of the Calgary Flames for the second wildcard seed in the Western Conference. In the midst of a three-game losing skid, the Blues will look to return to the win column Friday against the Avalanche.