Could the Sabres trade JJ Peterka? 12 teams that should be interested

When JJ Peterkas name first popped up in trade rumors around the NHL trade deadline, Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams was quick to pour cold water on the idea.

He said he views Peterka as part of Buffalos core.

And why wouldnt he? The 23-year-old was in the middle of a breakout 68-point season.

Advertisement The Sabres traded up to take Peterka 34th in the 2020 NHL Draft, and he developed into a top-of-the-lineup winger.

In 2023-24, his ability to generate scoring chances and convert on them was a standout.

In 2024-25, he kicked his passing up a notch.

Not only did Peterka emerge with a team-high rate of high-danger passes, but he was also a standout across the league.

Thats not the type of player teams are eager to trade especially when considering the Sabres winger depth around him.

But one other thing Adams said at the deadline was that the Sabres need to make sure were also explaining to him how were going to make the team better.

Peterka is a restricted free agent.

And though the Sabres have four more years of team control before he becomes an unrestricted free agent, its become clear hes open to a change of scenery.

Evolving Hockey projects a two-year extension, worth $5 million a year.

That would give Peterka a chance to see the Sabres direction over the next couple of seasons before committing.

However, management might want more certainty as the team continues to build a roster ready to turn the corner back into the playoff picture.

A longer-term extension in the six- or seven-year range, according to Evolving Hockey, is projected to carry an AAV of around $6.8 million.

A contract of that magnitude is likely to deliver positive value with Peterkas projected market value in mind, according to the model from The Athletic s Dom Luszczyszyn.

But there is some risk associated with a long-term deal, with Peterkas top comps at 23 years old.

If he ages like Nazem Kadri, Nathan Horton, Derick Brassard or Jordan Kyrou, the Sabres have nothing to worry about.

But Cody Hodgson and Alex Galchenyuk are cautionary tales of how players of a similar caliber can trend in the wrong direction from here.

If Peterka is not interested in signing long-term, the Sabres would be wise to at least listen to trade offers.

In a weak free-agent class, teams looking for scoring wingers arent going to have a lot of options.

That could make Peterka a commodity on the trade market.

It could also make him an offer-sheet target, but the Sabres have the cap space to match most deals.

Management could take a more proactive approach here to ensure an NHL-caliber return versus more draft capital.

Advertisement Peterkas offensive talents are obvious, but he hasnt yet developed into a consistent two-way player.

Could moving Peterka help the Sabres address other needs on their roster? Here are some teams that could or should be interested in Peterka: Toronto Maple Leafs With Mitch Marner likely gone, the Leafs are going to be looking for top-six help on the wing.

They have the money to take on Peterkas next contract, but the question is whether they have the trade assets to make a deal work.

The biggest asset the Leafs would have is right-shot defenseman Brandon Carlo.

Buffalo badly needs that type of player to pair with Owen Power.

The 6-foot-5 Carlo is 28 and has two years left on a contract with a manageable cap hit of just over $3 million.

Toronto would have to sweeten the deal around Carlo to make a Peterka deal work, but the team doesnt have a lot of options.

Utah Mammoth The Mammoth showed a willingness to be aggressive under new ownership last summer.

After they were in the bottom half of the league in five-on-five scoring last season, adding another top-six winger wouldnt hurt.

Utah also has some intriguing players that could make a deal work.

The Mammoth have a surplus of right-shot defensemen; someone such as Michael Kesselring would be an ideal fit for what the Sabres need.

Utah also has some forwards and prospects who could help even out a deal, such as Matias Maccelli, who would be the playmaking presence the Sabres are missing.

New York Rangers The Rangers need to elevate their forward group to return to the playoff picture.

Moving out Chris Kreiders contract bought some salary flexibility to make those changes.

With that cap space, it makes a lot of sense for the Rangers to target Peterka the team is craving more top-six talent on the wings and could use the infusion of youth from the 23-year-old.

The Sabres could try to pry Will Cuylle out of New York in return, or even Braden Schneider, but its hard to see the Rangers parting with either.

Instead, someone like KAndre Miller might be more plausible (especially if the Sabres trade Bowen Byram or buy out/move Mattias Samuelsson).

Vancouver Canucks The Canucks want to change the look of their forward group, and theres a chance they will lose Brock Boeser in free agency.

That puts them on the radar for a player such as Peterka, who would give them a proven scorer for their top six.

What makes them a tricky trade fit is figuring out what would come the other way.

Advertisement The Canucks are open to moving the 15th pick in the draft, but the Sabres dont need more futures.

Conor Garland is appealing, but the Canucks might need to give up more than that to get a young player such as Peterka entering his prime.

Tampa Bay Lightning If the Lightning want to make it past the first round, management needs to keep building up the supporting cast around the elite core.

Between Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde last deadline, Tampa Bay added middle-six talent.

But the team could still use another top-nine forward to round out three skilled lines.

Someone younger is even more enticing since the Lightning dont have a lot of up-and-comers after depleting their draft pool and prospect pipeline over the years.

The problem is that Tampa Bay doesnt have many trade assets; the team is already without its next three first-rounders.

Instead, management would have to move out a roster player (to clear cap in the process).

Someone such as Erik Cernak could be on the Sabres radar if he is willing to waive his no-trade clause.

Calgary Flames The Flames were 30th in the NHL in five-on-five scoring last season.

Their lineup needs more offensive pop, and Peterka would give them plenty of that.

At 23, he also fits Calgarys rebuilding timeline.

The Flames have players who would interest the Sabres: right-handed defensemen Rasmus Andersson and MacKenzie Weegar and veteran winger Blake Coleman all fit what Buffalo needs.

The Flames also have two first-round picks, so they have more than enough assets to pull off a Peterka trade.

New York Islanders Its a new era in Islanders hockey with Mathieu Darche leading the way.

The question is how bold the general manager will be in his first summer with the team.

If the Islanders start retooling on the fly, then a 23-year-old top-six winger is the ideal target.

Unlike this years free-agent class, Peterka should still be in his prime as this team remodels back into a playoff fixture.

Advertisement If Buffalo wants more veteran center depth, maybe Jean-Gabriel Pageau could be a part of the return.

But the Sabres should be swinging big by kicking the tires on RFA defenders Alexander Romanov or Noah Dobson.

Pittsburgh Penguins The Sabres and Penguins are logical trade partners.

Pittsburgh needs to get younger, and Buffalo needs to round out its roster with the right veterans to finally get back to the playoffs.

Bryan Rust is the most appealing player the Penguins have to offer, but it would take more than Rust to even out a trade for Peterka.

Even though Rust is 33, he just set career highs with 31 goals and 34 assists last season.

His contract is reasonable, and his veteran leadership would be huge for Buffalos locker room.

Columbus Blue Jackets The Blue Jackets playoff push was one of the most exciting storylines in 2025.

Now Columbus has to find a way to build on it.

Though the team has the cap space to go on a free-agent shopping spree, management might want to target players in their mid-20s who can play a longer-term role in the window of contention.

Some of the defensive gaps in Peterkas game could be exposed in Columbus, but his offensive ability would help address an underwhelming power play.

The Blue Jackets have a lot of draft capital to move, but a roster player such as Cole Sillinger is more in line with what the Sabres are looking for.

St.

Louis Blues If the Blues are looking to get younger without losing too much scoring, Peterka would make sense as a trade target for them.

The Blues would have some interesting pieces to offer, but no-trade clauses could make a deal trickier to navigate.

Kyrou and Colton Parayko would be appealing trade chips but only if they were willing to come to Buffalo.

The same goes for Pavel Buchnevich and Brayden Schenn.

Jake Neighbours would also add the two-way game and net-front play that Buffalo could use more of in its forward group, and he doesnt have trade protection.

Advertisement New Jersey Devils Though injuries were the leading cause behind the Devils demise, the team still had some weaknesses when 100 percent healthy.

New Jersey over-relied on the power play for scoring and needed more even-strength production behind it.

The winger depth could also use more support behind Jesper Bratt.

With Peterka in the fold, someone such as Timo Meier could play the right side more often.

That would shift Ondrej Palat (if he isnt moved this summer) into a more fitting depth role.

Two players stand out as potential returns for the Sabres: Dawson Mercer, whose game has stagnated over the last couple of seasons, and Simon Nemec.

Both have experience playing under Lindy Ruff, and that familiarity could help ease the transition.

Ottawa Senators A Dylan Cozens for Josh Norris trade surprised at the deadline.

Could these two teams swing another deal this summer? The Senators finally turned the corner and returned to the postseason but still have a lot of work to do to get back to contender status.

As much as Ottawa has built up its defensive structure over the last year, the team doesnt generate enough offense.

The Senators have a lot of top-nine forwards, but not enough true top-six-caliber wingers.

In exchange for Peterka, the Sabres could try to trade for Shane Pinto, who doesnt have a path to the top six in Ottawa, or a right-handed defenseman such as Artem Zub.

(Top photo: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images).

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