Colaiacovo missed a hipcheck on Václav Varaďa in a game against the Ottawa Senators, smashing head-first into the boards. He was taken off the ice on a stretcher. The injury was a major concussion, and he missed the end of the 2005–06 season. At the start of the following season he was then sent to the Marlies on a conditioning assignment. Colaiacovo recovered fully from his concussion, but later injured his hand in his first game back into the Marlies lineup. On December 4, 2006, the Maple Leafs recalled Colaiacovo from the Marlies and on December 16, he scored his first goal of the season against the New York Rangers. Colaiacovo underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on April 29, 2007. On June 21, 2007, Colaiacovo re-signed with the Maple Leafs to a three-year contract. On November 24, 2008, Colaiacovo was traded by the Maple Leafs, along with Alexander Steen, to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for forward Lee Stempniak. Colaiacovo finished the 2008–09 season with 30 points between Toronto and St. Louis. In the 2009–10 season, he registered a career-high 32 points, finishing second among Blues defencemen. The off-season, Colaiacovo signed a two-year extension with the Blues. After the 2010–11 season, he joined Team Canada at the IIHF World Championship in Slovakia. The 2011–12 season was the last Colaiacovo played with the Blues, registering 2 goals and 19 points in 64 games. He was normally paired with Alex Pietrangelo on the top pairing. That off-season he became an unrestricted free agent. On September 12, 2012, Colaiacovo signed a two-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings. In his second game of the season, Colaiacovo suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out for 33 games. He made his home debut for the Red Wings on April 1, 2013, against the Colorado Avalanche. When asked about his feelings over his home debut, Colaiacovo replied, "I'm really looking forward to it. When I first signed here I said the Joe is one of my favorite rinks to play in. I haven't had that chance to do it in a Wings uniform. That's something that's going to keep the adrenaline going for me tonight." With the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, again largely affected by injury, Colaiacovo was bought out on a compliance from the final year of his contract with the Red Wings on July 3, 2013. On November 13, 2013, Colaiacovo agreed to a