The Buffalo Sabres traded restricted free agent JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday night, sending forward Josh Doan and defenseman Michael Kesselring back to western New York. The move has left many questioning whether the Sabres received a fair return for a top-six forward who addresses one of the Mammoth’s biggest needs.
The Utah Mammoth, led by GM Bill Armstrong, have taken a strategic approach since Ryan and Ashley Smith purchased the franchise in 2020. They traded for defenseman Mikhail Sergachev last year to revamp their blue line, and now they’ve added Peterka, a proven goal scorer who scored 28 goals and 50 points in his final season with the Sabres.
Peterka’s addition gives the Mammoth a top-six winger group that also includes Clayton Keller, Dylan Guenther, and Nick Schmaltz. This quartet of 20-goal scorers will play with centers Logan Cooley and Barrett Hayton, anchoring those top two lines. The Mammoth have what is considered one of the strongest farm systems in the NHL, allowing them to keep their top prospects.
In contrast, the Sabres received a pair of NHL players in Doan and Kesselring, but some question whether that was enough for a player who addresses one of the Mammoth’s biggest needs. The Sabres are still in need of filling a sizable hole in their roster, and it remains to be seen whether they have made progress.
GM Kevyn Adams received a complicated package from the Sabres’ perspective, but ultimately, it will depend on how well Doan and Kesselring fit into the team’s plans. The Sabres now have $20.881 million in cap space remaining, while the Mammoth are left with $14.982 million in cap space.
The Peterka trade is a significant move for the Mammoth, who have taken a swing to address their goal-scoring needs. It remains to be seen how well this new addition will pay off for the team moving forward.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/45589198/nhl-trade-grades-2025-report-cards-jj-peterka-mammoth-sabres