The Utah Mammoth are looking to be aggressive in the 2025 NHL offseason. Utah has not made an official move to this point. However, this has now changed. Utah has made a late-night trade for Buffalo Sabres star JJ Peterka.
Peterka has been at the center of trade discussions all offseason. He is a restricted free agent coming off his best career season. Reports indicated that he had no interest in signing with the Sabres this summer. And Buffalo has reportedly seen the writing on the wall.
On Wednesday night, the Sabres and Mammoth agreed to terms on a Peterka trade, as first reported by Frank Seravalli. Seravalli did note that there was something holding up the deal in his initial report.
The deal eventually got over the line, however. The Mammoth are acquiring Peterka from the Sabres in exchange for two players. Utah is sending defenseman Michael Kesselring and forward Josh Doan to Buffalo, according to Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman.
JJ Peterka Could Become a Star For Mammoth
Rebecca Villagracia/Getty ImagesJJ Peterka has been traded to the Utah Mammoth.
The Mammoth have sought a top-six offensive presence throughout the offseason. Many expected Utah to make a play for the likes of Mitch Marner or Sam Bennett in NHL Free Agency. However, Peterka gives them more of a long-term option.
The Sabres star scored 27 goals and 68 points in 77 games this past season. He finished fourth in the NHL with 21 Offensive Goals Above Replacement, according to Evolving Hockey. Only Connor McDavid, Nikita Kucherov, and Leon Draisaitl made more of an offensive impact.
Peterka is not on their level as a complete player. In fact, he’s the only one of the bunch worth less than 3.0 Wins Above Replacement. His defense is a major hindrance, as he recorded -6.6 Defensive Goals Above Replacement in 2024-25.
Still, his offensive potential makes him an intriguing fit for the Mammoth. He pairs well with Dylan Guenther as a nice 1-2 punch on the wings. Those two alongside franchise center Logan Cooley gives Utah a very formidable top-six core.
Sabres GM Did Not Address Peterka Trade Rumors
The most intriguing part of this deal is the timing. Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams was asked about the rumors around Peterka on Tuesday. However, he refused to answer those directly, pointing to “misinformation” regarding other players.
“I don’t want to say yes or no, because I don’t think it’s the right time. I can probably after the draft get into more specifics, but I just don’t think it’s fair to the player to even respond to that. I get memos on my desk from PR on things, and I feel bad for our fans, the stuff that’s out there,” Adams said, via Paul Hamilton of WGR Sports Radio 550.
“There’s so much misinformation and so much of it is nonsense. I mean, someone who has no idea what they’re talking about reporting that we were going to buy ‘Sammy’ (defenseman Mattias Samuelsson) out when we’ve never had that conversation once. It’s ridiculous. I don’t think it’s worth me getting into it.”
The Sabres and Mammoth have made a rather intriguing deal. Adams’ comments certainly make the situation all the more interesting to parse through. And this could only be the beginning for both teams this summer.
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