Angry Blues launch investigation after Colton Parayko trade leak

The fallout from the attempted trade involving Colton Parayko is still rippling through the St. Louis Blues organization. According to Blues insider Jeremy Rutherford, the team went as far as launching an internal investigation to determine who leaked news of the proposed deal that would have sent Parayko to the Buffalo Sabres.

And the steps they took were serious.

General manager Doug Armstrong confirmed that the organization reviewed staff phone call records, text messages and emails in an effort to identify the source of the leak. In the end, however, the Blues came up empty.

The culprit could be in the Sabres' camp... who knows?

Armstrong admitted the organization was frustrated the trade became public before the process had been completed.

The controversy stems from earlier this week when reports surfaced that St. Louis had worked out a deal to send Parayko to Buffalo in exchange for what insiders described as at least two strong assets. But the veteran defenseman still had control over the decision, holding trade protection and ultimately had to approve the move.

Once news of the potential deal leaked publicly, before he had given the green light, the situation quickly became complicated. By Thursday, Parayko officially declined the trade, shutting down the deal and leaving both teams scrambling.

The unusual sequence added to what has already been one of the most chaotic NHL Trade Deadline periods in recent memory, with several deals around the league leaking before players had formally waived their protection.

For the Blues, however, the mystery remains unresolved.

Despite combing through internal communications, the organization still has no idea who let the Parayko trade attempt slip out in the first place.