Although the main Buffalo Sabres players swirling in trade rumors continue to be Bowen Byram, Dylan Cozens and Alex Tuch, a new name was added to that list late on Thursday night. The New York Rangers were reportedly “in advanced discussions” to acquire forward JJ Peterka from Western New York, reported Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli.
But according to The Athletic’s Arthur Staple, that isn’t the case.
“Been told that the [Rangers] are NOT in on J.J. Peterka, source says,” Staple wrote on X shortly after Seravalli’s initial reporting.
Peterka has been one of Buffalo’s best players this season, sitting second in team scoring behind only Tage Thompson with 51 points in 59 games. Selected in the second-round, No. 34 overall, by the Sabres in the 2020 NHL Draft, the 23-year-old figures to be a key piece of the franchise’s future.
Seravalli included Peterka at No. 15 in his latest NHL Trade Board ahead of the deadline, and had this to say about the German sniper:
“Peterka hit the Trade Targets like a wrecking ball, a 23-year-old first line winger with tons of untapped potential still. Sources say any team calling Buffalo has been met with resistance on Peterka, but the volume of calls has increased, the amount of chatter around the league is growing louder – and it exploded over the weekend.
“So why is he on the board? The Sabres haven’t done anything to shake up their team yet. He has significant value. He’s a pending RFA who will need a new contract, and oh by the way, he will potentially be an offer sheet target this summer.”
Peterka is making only $855,834 in 2024-25, but he’ll be due for a significant raise on his next contract. It seems likely Buffalo’s front office will pay him whatever is necessary, but it looks like there is also a route where he is traded before Friday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline — whether or not the destination is the Rangers.
Byram, Tuch, Cozens, Jack Quinn and veteran Jason Zucker were also included on Seravalli’s trade board, and it seems more likely that one of those players is dealt rather than Peterka. That being said, his value is quite high, and the right offer might force general manager Kevyn Adams’ hand.
The Sabres figure to be big-time sellers on Friday; currently 24-31-6 and dead last in the Eastern Conference, the longest postseason drought in professional North American sports will continue for at least one more year.
It’ll be interesting to see which roster players end up getting a change of scenery over the next six hours.
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