Latest news with #JJPeterka
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sabres Turned Down Multiple Blockbuster Trade Offers for JJ Peterka: Report
Sabres Turned Down Multiple Blockbuster Trade Offers for JJ Peterka: Report originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Buffalo Sabres shocked the NHL world on Wednesday night when they traded star forward JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for 23-year-old winger Josh Doan, Utah's No. 7 prospect according to The Athletic, and 25-year-old defenseman Michael Kesselring. Advertisement Peterka, who cored 27 goals and career-high 68 points last season, promptly signed a five-year contract extension with Utah that will pay him $7.7 million per season. On the surface, Buffalo's return was viewed as underwhelming by many analysts who expected the former second-round pick to bring back a more impressive trade package. But after reports started emerging on Thursday of deals the Sabres turned down, that sentiment started to grow. According to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli, Sabres fans have every right to be upset with Buffalo's return for Peterka considering the other offers on the table that were turned down. Former Buffalo Sabres right wing JJ Peterka (77) carries the puck up ice during the second period against the Dallas Stars at KeyBank T. Ludwig-Imagn Images 'What really stands out to me is, there was just such a big market for JJ Peterka, there was all sorts of kinds of deals that (general manager) Kevyn Adams could've gotten his hands on,' Seravalli said. 'There was one team who offered two first-round picks plus two roster players. I think the St. Louis Blues had Jordan Kyrou on the table. Advertisement 'I think at one point in time, the New York Islanders were talking about Noah Dobson, and you smash all those things together and you go, 'Kesselring and Doan?' It's not getting anyone excited in Western New York, and I understand why when you have to give up on a guy that was a fan favorite.' Kyrou, 27, is coming off three straight 30-goal seasons, logging 70 or more points in two of them. He would've given Buffalo a high-scoring replacement for Peterka who could step right in and fill his roster spot in the top six seamlessly. Dobson would have been a big get for Buffalo as well. The 25-year-old defenseman is a perennial Norris Trophy candidate who's scored 39 or more points in each of the last four seasons and would have immediately became the Sabres' top defenseman. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
9 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Sabres couldn't make it work with JJ Peterka. Can they find a way to keep Bowen Byram?
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — When the Buffalo Sabres' season ended, general manager Kevyn Adams intended to sign 23-year-old forward JJ Peterka to a contract extension. The 2020 second-round pick had just produced a 68-point season in the final year of his entry-level contract. He was a restricted free agent without arbitration rights who was four years away from becoming an unrestricted free agent. There was no reason to think he wouldn't be part of the plan. Until Adams sat down to talk with Peterka and his agent, and it was clear he wasn't going to sign. Advertisement 'We had those discussions and it became apparent to me and our group that it wasn't going to work,' Adams said late Friday night after the first round of the NHL Draft. 'For me, the focus was if this isn't going to work, how do we make sure we're helping the Buffalo Sabres improve?' Adams thinks he did that by trading Peterka to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for 25-year-old right-handed defenseman Michael Kesselring and 23-year-old winger Josh Doan. Kesselring is a player that Adams views as a 'critical piece' given his ability to play a top-four role on defense. Doan, who had 19 points as an NHL rookie last season, is someone Adams thinks can impact the lineup with his competitive, two-way game. He also sees offensive upside. But this trade was about making the best of a less-than-ideal situation. Another player wanted out of Buffalo. This one was only 23 years old and had only been in Buffalo for three seasons. This was a problem Adams dealt with early on in his tenure with the Sabres when the rebuild was at the ground floor. It's not a problem he was supposed to be dealing with entering his sixth season as general manager. 'You get to the end of the season, you take all the information in, it's fine,' Adams said of the Peterka situation. 'It's what's best for the Buffalo Sabres, and the trade was what was best.' Time will tell. While it's tough to blame a player for questioning the direction of a franchise with the longest playoff drought in the history of the NHL, Peterka didn't seem all that willing to find a solution in Buffalo. He admitted at the end of the season that his body language wasn't the best during his 68-point season. And he was never as committed to the defensive side of the game as he was to scoring. So it's certainly possible a trade like this one can be what's best for the Buffalo Sabres in the long run. But in order for that to be true, Adams needs to complete the work of building this team. Kesselring, a physical and mobile right-handed defenseman, and Doan, an elite forechecker with a solid defensive foundation to his game, are two important players when it comes to rounding out Buffalo's lineup. When the two spoke to reporters less than 24 hours after the trade, they talked about wanting to be part of the solution with the Sabres. Lindy Ruff's stated goal toward the end of the season was improving the Sabres' culture, and this trade has a chance to accomplish that. 'Both of these guys, they want to be here,' Adams said. 'They're excited. They want to be part of the solution.' But Adams also removed 27 goals from the Sabres' lineup with this trade. That's something he and his staff have talked about. Some of that, he thinks, can be replaced by internal growth from players like Zach Benson and Jack Quinn, who signed a two-year contract with a $3.375 million average annual value on Friday. Adams, though, is more concerned with the team improving defensively and becoming harder to play against. That's what he's focused on heading into Day 2 of the draft and the start of free agency on Monday. Advertisement Then there's the issue of defenseman Bowen Byram. The restricted free agent has been at the center of trade rumors for much of the offseason. He's due for a hefty raise, and the Sabres have already committed early $20 million in annual cap hits to Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power, two left-shot defensemen who block Byram from getting power-play time. The Athletic's Chris Johnston reported that as many as eight teams have inquired about Byram recently. Adams didn't quiet any of that trade talk on Friday night. 'For me, Bo is an elite defenseman in the league right now,' Adams said. 'I am definitely open. Kind of like the situation with JJ, if it's the right trade that we think helps our team, we'll be open to that. In saying that, I love Bo Byram as a player and a person and would be more than fine with him as part of our D-core. Right now, the way our D-core looks with Bo in there is very, very good. If it's the right thing and the right trade comes across, we'll definitely be open to it, but it's not something I'm going to force.' No such deal materialized during the first round of the NHL Draft. And neither did any trade involving Buffalo's No. 9 pick. That's why the Sabres stayed put and added Radim Mrtka, a 6-foot-6 right-handed defenseman, to their prospect pool. Mrtka is an impressive player and person with an engaging personality. Adams views him as a potential top-four defenseman down the road, and it's easy to see why. Welcome to Buffalo, Radim! ⚔️ We have selected Radim Mrtka with the 9th overall pick of the 2025 #NHLDraft! Details → | @SenecaBuffalo — Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) June 28, 2025 This week and next aren't as much about Buffalo's long-term future as they are about the 2025-26 season, though. Because if Adams doesn't make the necessary moves to get the Sabres back to the playoffs, he won't be running this team by the time any of these draft picks make the NHL. 'There's a long offseason ahead of us, and there's still moves that could potentially be made,' Adams said. (Top photo of Michael Kesselring: Steven Bisig / Imagn Images)
New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
A late-night blockbuster trade. Plus: Why you need to care about this NHL draft
Red Light newsletter 🏒 | This is The Athletic's hockey newsletter. Sign up here to receive Red Light directly in your inbox. I don't know about you, but I didn't get a whole lot of sleep thanks to the Mammoth and Sabres pulling off a blockbuster just before midnight last night. Let's break it down… We'd been hearing rumblings about J.J. Peterka's availability for weeks now, going back to the combine in Buffalo when I listed both these teams as likely to be big players this offseason. The player wasn't happy on the struggling Sabres, and he had real leverage after back-to-back seasons clearing 25 goals at a young age. Utah, meanwhile, had acres of cap space – more than $18 million, fifth most in the league before the deal – and a new market and owner that wanted to go big. Mission accomplished, Ryan Smith. Did the Sabres get enough – power forward prospect Josh Doan and defenseman Michael Kesselring – for one of their best young players? Our trade graders, including yours truly, aren't so sure, but a lot will hinge on Doan's development and Kesselring's ability to absorb tough minutes alongside Rasmus Dahlin or Owen Power. This deal certainly sets the table for a massive draft weekend, where you can expect more teams to be very aggressive on the trade front. More on that from our insiders further down. Without a huge name headlining the 2025 NHL entry draft class, there hasn't been as much buzz around this one as in past seasons. With Round 1 set to open tomorrow night in Los Angeles, however, I wanted The A's prospect experts, Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler, to weigh in on why you should care about this draft, despite the lack of a generational talent at the top. Advertisement For a more casual hockey fan, how would you sell this draft in terms of the highlights or interesting things to watch for? Pronman: After Matthew Schaefer goes (first overall), there's a blob of forwards in the 2-9 range. We don't have any high degree of confidence as to how these forwards, almost all of them premium young centers, will go. As well, there is a major question mark among them in Roger McQueen, who is a top 5 talent but suffered from a back injury most of the season. Wheeler: I think the story of this draft is that it hasn't been written yet. Last year, you had Macklin Celebrini and then this rare collection of high-end defensemen that you knew were going to shape the way the draft was viewed in five or 10 years. Next year, we know Gavin McKenna is around the corner. This year feels much less certain, which should create a fascinating continued conversation. There are different potential outcomes as to which players will be the defining players of this class. How close will the top three picks be to helping the Islanders, Sharks and Blackhawks – who pick 1-2-3 – next season? Pronman: Schaefer and Michael Misa (ranked No. 1 and No. 2) could play in the NHL right away. The rest of the top prospects likely need a year or two outside the league. Wheeler: What Corey said. Are there any dark horse picks who could go 10th or later that you think have a chance to turn into stars? Pronman: I'm a big fan of Victor Eklund, who we don't expect to go in the top 10. I think he has a lot of similarities to Seth Jarvis at the same age. Wheeler: I've given winger Ryker Lee (projected to go in the late-first or early-second) one of the highest skill grades in the class and believe he's one of the only prospects likely to be taken outside the top 20 who is talented enough to become a productive, top-six, power play type if he hits some development checkpoints. Advertisement Here's our latest draft big board for more on how Corey and Scott see things playing out. And here's the full draft order going into night one. Speaking of the draft … Why the Canucks rolled the dice on trading for Evander Kane and what the Oilers are up to after dumping his contract. Ranking every NHL team's salary-cap situation, from best to worst. Who has the most money to spend as we sit five days from free agency? (Spoiler: The Sharks are loaded.) Where could Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson get dealt, given his $10 million contract? Pierre LeBrun has been Mr. Rumblings of late and his latest doesn't disappoint with a ton of good nuggets from around the league, including notes on Mitch Marner, Claude Giroux and the John Gibson trade we've been waiting decades for. 'The Athletic Hockey Show' serves up an erudite draft preview show, looking at if the Sharks might skip Michael Misa and take Anton Frondell as No. 2 instead. We know a lot of NHL teams are flush with cap space. And we know free agency is underwhelming (but still check out the big board anyway). Which means the trade market should be extra busy here in the days to come, as clubs attempt to embiggen their rosters starting at the draft tomorrow. I checked in with our insiders – Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston – and a top NHL player agent on which teams they think will be leading the charge this weekend. LeBrun: Edmonton. They're probably the team given the urgency internally to sign Evan Bouchard before July 1, still move more money (Viktor Arvidsson), find some cheaper forward alternatives, and likely tweak the goaltending. It's a lot to do. Johnston: Montreal. GM Kent Hughes has gone shopping on draft week before and has first-round picks to move as he pursues a top-six forward. Advertisement Anonymous agent: Pittsburgh. They're attempting to be very active. In addition to Karlsson, a guy like Bryan Rust could bring a return that adds a lot to their asset base. Exciting stuff. Flip your The Athletic app NHL notifications on this weekend, as it's going to be a busy one. 💡Mirtrivia answers: Question 1 is my gift to our oldtimers. Many will recall the Islanders taking Rick DiPietro first in 2000, making him just the second goalie ever drafted with the top pick. But do you remember the 1972 and 1973 drafts when they set the table for an 1980s dynasty by taking Billy Harris (who was later traded for Butch Goring) and Denis Potvin? Question 2, however, should be a relatively easy one: Aaron Ekblad to the Panthers, drafted from the Barrie Colts back in 2014. The other three defensemen to go No. 1 in the past 28 years? Erik Johnson (2006), Rasmus Dahlin (2018) and Owen Power (2021). Pretty good company for Schaefer, who is a kid worth rooting for. 📫 Love Red Light? Check out The Athletic's other newsletters. (Top photo of J.J. Peterka: Bill Wippert / NHLI via Getty Images)
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
NHL trade news: JJ Peterka is officially on the move in a blockbuster three-player deal confirmed by Frank Seravalli
JJ Peterka of the Buffalo Sabresn (Credit: Getty Images) Late Wednesday night, a significant NHL trade took center stage as the Buffalo Sabres agreed to send forward JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth. The deal, initially held up by some final details, was confirmed shortly after NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that the trade call had been completed. Peterka's move comes just as he wraps a standout season with 68 points in 77 games. Peterka joins a group of rising stars in Utah that includes Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley, and Dylan Guenther. The Mammoth, entering their first full season under the rebranded name, are focused on building a core that is playoff-ready. General manager Bill Armstrong wasted no time adding a 27-goal scorer with dynamic playmaking to drive their secondary scoring. — FriedgeHNIC (@FriedgeHNIC) Buffalo Sabres acquire Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring in return In exchange for Peterka, the Buffalo Sabres received winger Josh Doan and defenseman Michael Kesselring from Utah. The deal contains no draft picks, indicating a pure hockey trade intended to have an immediate impact on both sides. Doan, a 2021 second-round pick and son of NHL legend Shane Doan, played 51 games with Utah last season, registering seven goals and 19 points. Kesselring is coming off a full 82-game campaign in Utah. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Worst Home Items That People Own, Ranked CleverClassic Undo The 6-foot-4 blueliner tallied 29 points and 89 penalty minutes, providing a mix of offense and physicality from the back end. His development has steadily improved, and the Sabres are expected to give him a prominent role heading into the upcoming season. JJ Peterka signs five-year extension and embraces Utah spotlight Just as trade news broke, it was revealed that JJ Peterka had already agreed to a five-year extension with Utah. The $38.5 million deal shows how much belief the Mammoth organization has in the 22-year-old German winger. After leading all RFAs in scoring last season, Peterka lands both a big payday and a leading role in a rising franchise. With both teams walking away with players who fit their needs, this three-player deal stands out as one of the boldest moves of the offseason. Also Read: NHL trade rumor: Evander Kane trade buzz grows louder as Edmonton Oilers look to shake up roster after playoff heartbreak Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
JJ Peterka trade grades: Who won the Sabres and Mammoth deal?
It seemed fairly certain that JJ Peterka would be dealt in the 2025 NHL offseason -- he was set to be a restricted free agent and was going to get a BIG raise and deservedly so. The German forward who was a 2020 second-rounder for the Buffalo Sabres came off a career-high in points and assists to add to another solid goal-scoring season with 27. And that's what happened as we get set for the 2025 NHL Draft. The Sabres dealt him to the Utah Mammoth, which means it's time for us to hand out some trade grades to see who won this one. Let's dive in: JJ Peterka trade details for the Sabres and Mammoth SABRES GET: F Josh Doan, D Michael Kesselring MAMMOTH GET: F JJ Peterrka (and they immediately signed him to a five-year deal with an AAV of $7.7 million) Utah Mammoth trade grade The Mammoth are building something really good here. They've got a great core with names like Logan Cooley, Clayton Keller, Dylan Guenther and Mikhail Sergachev. Now? They added some firepower at the wing with Peterka without giving up a ton. Peterka does need to work on his defense if he really wants to be a star in the league, but what we've seen on offense at such a young age is pretty fantastic. This is the right kind of move for a team on the rise, and I'm betting he'll live up to that contract right away and best that career-high. GRADE: A- Buffalo Sabres trade grade It's such a bummer that the Sabres can't keep him. Let's start there. But if there was any indication that he didn't want to be in Buffalo long-term, they might as well get something back. They got two somethings back: the 6-foot-5 Kesselring has some potential to be in the mix in the top-two defensemen for the club, while Doan -- yes, he's the son of Shane Doan -- could add some two-way bite to the Sabres. It's not a bad return at all, but given Peterka's untapped potential, it just may not be enough when we look back on this trade in a few years. GRADE: B
