After weeks of commerce rumors, the Buffalo Sabres have lastly dealt winger JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth in alternate for defenseman Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan. Peterka was one of many hottest names in the marketplace, and he goes to a Mammoth workforce already loaded with talent up entrance.

Peterka, who simply turned 23 in January, broke out with 27 targets and 41 assists final season. Actually, Peterka’s manufacturing has taken an enormous leap ahead in every of his three full seasons. The previous second-round choose has the potential to be a point-per-game participant and a bona fide high line winger.

The Mammoth are a workforce on the rise, so this transfer makes some sense for them, particularly in the event that they acquired the sense that they weren’t going to land Mitch Marner in free company. Peterka is a pleasant comfort prize, even when he’s clearly much less polished.

The return does appear a little bit underwhelming for the Sabres at first look, however they did not essentially come away empty handed. Kesselring is a rangy defenseman who has potential to be fairly good in a top-four function. Doan remains to be solely 23, and there is a good likelihood he’ll play a bottom-six for in Buffalo for a very long time.

Let’s take a deeper have a look at what all sides acquired on this deal how they got here out.

The commerce

Mammoth obtain

Sabres obtain

• F Josh Doan
• D Michael Kesselring

Grades

Utah Mammoth

Peterka was probably the most coveted gamers on the commerce block for a motive. It is robust to seek out 23-year-olds whose manufacturing has jumped by 18 factors in every of the final two seasons. In 2024-25, Peterka’s 68 factors have been tied with Rasmus Dahlin for second on the workforce, and he rounds out an thrilling younger ahead group in Salt Lake Metropolis.

There are few issues Peterka loves greater than attacking of the frenzy, so he brings some quick-strike capability to the Utah offense. With 55 targets mixed over the past two years, Peterka has confirmed he can gentle the lamp on the NHL stage, however he additionally displayed some good playmaking capability this previous season. He practically doubled his help complete from the yr earlier than, going from 22 to 41.

As nice as Peterka could also be within the offensive zone, particularly in transition, there are some apparent warts in his sport. Particularly, Peterka tends to present again plenty of what he will get. With Peterka on the ice at five-on-five, the Sabres allowed 3.04 xGA/60, per Pure Stat Trick. That poor protection did not at all times present up within the field rating as a result of the Sabres shot 14.2% when Peterka was within the sport. That is simply not a sustainable quantity.

Upon buying Peterka, the Mammoth signed him to a five-year contract value $7.7 million. Given his age and the upward development of the wage cap, that ought to wind up being a good deal. Peterka has immense offensive upside, and the Mammoth may have fairly the weapon on the high of the lineup if he can clear up his defensive sport. Grade: B+

Buffalo Sabres

If it have been me, I am undecided I might have been trying to transfer Peterka, even when his contract calls for have been on the excessive finish. That kind of confirmed expertise at such a younger age is tough to seek out, and will probably be exhausting for Buffalo to switch Peterka in its high six. The Sabres could wind up OK right here, however Kesselring must thrive in his new function.

When watching Kesselring, it is not exhausting to see why the Sabres would have some curiosity in him. The 6-foot-5 and 215-pound defenseman strikes nicely, and he’s able to making some slick performs with the puck.. These are all of the traits NHL groups determine in top-four defensemen, which is strictly the function Kesselring will likely be requested to play in Buffalo. This previous season, Kesselring posted an anticipated targets share of 54.1% at five-on-five, in accordance with Pure Stat Trick. He did that whereas surrendering simply 2.31 xGA/60.

On the offensive finish, Kesselring posted seven targets and 22 assists, however I think he is able to extra given the way in which he can skate. With another yr left on his contract at $1.4 million, Kesselring additionally comes less expensive than Peterka, even when he’s two years older.

Doan, the sone of Arizona Coyotes legend Shane Doan, crammed a bottom-six function for Utah final season. He recorded 19 factors in 51 video games. These numbers will not blow anybody away, however at simply 23 years previous, Doan can develop right into a strong bottom-six function to present the Sabres some first rate depth.

At first look, it is a unhealthy deal for the Sabres as a result of quantity of offense that simply walked out the door. What retains their grade afloat is the potential of the underrated Kesselring, who Buffalo will actually need if it additionally trades defenseman Bowen Byram in some unspecified time in the future this summer time. Grade — C+