Sabres send J.J. Peterka to Mammoth in major pre-NHL draft change

Sabres Trade JJ Peterka to Utah Mammoth

In a surprising move, the Sabres have sent forward JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth ahead of the NHL Draft.

Early Thursday, the Sabres announced the trade, which included sending Peterka to Utah in exchange for defenseman Michael Kesselling.

Peterka, who is about to become a restricted free agent, has opted to sign a five-year contract with the Mammoth, reportedly averaging around $7.7 million annually.

This move comes just before the NHL Draft kicks off in Los Angeles on Friday night.

The 23-year-old Peterka seems to fit seamlessly into the young, emerging squad that Utah is building.

Although Utah didn’t make the playoffs in their inaugural season after relocating from Arizona, they have a promising roster featuring talents like Clayton Keller, 26; Logan Cooley, 21; and Dylan Guntel, 22.

Peterka, hailing from Munich, Germany, is in his fourth full NHL season. Over the past two years with Buffalo, he has accumulated 118 points, including 27 goals and 41 assists last season.

Interestingly, those stats slightly trail Keller, who led the Mammoth in scoring with 30 goals and 60 assists.

The Sabres initially selected Peterka as the 34th overall pick in the 2020 draft.

While there were whispers about a possible trade prior to the March deadline, he remained with the Sabres as general manager Kevin Adams noted the need to help him contribute to the team.

Adams refrained from commenting on whether Peterka had actively sought a trade during a pre-draft press event on Tuesday.

After experiencing a lengthy playoff drought since 2014, the Sabres ended last season with a second-place finish in the Atlantic division, sporting a record of 36-39-7.