Saad would've made $5.4 million had he reported to the Blues' AHL affiliate. Instead, he's walking away from it to become an NHL free agent.

While teams did not claim Saad when he hit waivers, the reason for it was his $4.5 million cap hit until the end of 2025-26. However, now that he is hitting the free-agent market,

After failed attempts, the St. Louis Blues and two-time Stanley Cup winner Brandon Saad, 32, are mutually terminating his contract. Saad will now be a free agent.