Buffalo Sabres right winger JJ Peterka has increasingly become a topic of conjecture for NHL pundits, with some of them featuring him prominently among their off-season trade candidates.
It's been reported the Sabres received offers for Peterka going back to the March NHL trade deadline. However, they weren't interested in moving the 23-year-old, especially after his career-best 68-point performance this season.
PuckPedia indicates Peterka is an RFA coming off his entry-level contract and lacks no-trade protection. Rumors persist claiming the Sabres are still getting calls about his availability, with some observers speculating he could become an offer-sheet target.
The Sabres reportedly remain reluctant about trading Peterka. Their $23 million in cap space suggested any offer could be easily matched, but rumors persist claiming Peterka could be traded or become an offer-sheet candidate.
On Sunday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the Sabres have started listening to those trade offers. He believes Peterka is unhappy and wants to move to a different team.
Despite the Sabres' cap space, the threat of an offer sheet could provide additional reason to move Paterka. Arthur Staple of The Athletic suggested he could be an option for the New York Rangers, which freed up $6.5 million in cap space by shipping Chris Kreider last week to the Anaheim Ducks.
Staple speculated the Sabres could be unwilling to match an offer between $7 million and $9.3 million. He noted the Rangers lack their 2026 second-rounder, which would be necessary as part of the compensation required, but suggested they could attempt to reacquire that pick from the Utah Mammoth and then make their move.
If the Sabres trade Peterka, they'll want a substantive return. Given their well-stocked prospect pipeline, they won't want offers of draft picks and prospects. They'll likely want a player-for-player swap akin to their acquisition of Josh Norris from Ottawa for Dylan Cozens or Bowen Byram from Colorado for Casey Mittelstadt.
The asking price for Peterka could be a top-four, right-shot defenseman in their prime to pair with young left-shot blueliner Owen Power.
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