Could JJ Peterka have a big year with the Black and Gold?
The Boston Bruins' most notable off-season addition is forward JJ Peterka.
The 24-year-old forward is expected to be a key part of the Bruins' roster as they aim to take another step in the right direction in 2026-27. If he proves to be an answer for the Bruins' top six, it would be significant for a Boston club that is looking to prove last season was not a fluke.
Now, one popular analyst is predicting that Peterka could have himself a career year during his first season with the Black and Gold.
During a recent appearance on NESN, Billy Jaffe predicted that Peterka could record over 70 points for the Bruins this season.
"You want 70 points from him," Jaffe said about Peterka. "You're saying, 'you're getting top-six.' Could be playing with David Pastrnak. He's going to be playing with high-level players out there, and he had 67 points, his career-high one year in Buffalo... After a 67-point year, you want to see 75. You want to see 77, 80. Bruins are going to need him to score 70-plus. We all want to see it."
Hearing that Jaffe expects Peterka to get at least 70 points is a big prediction, but it also makes sense. As Jaffe noted, the new Bruins winger has already gotten close to the 70-point mark in the past. Furthermore, with Peterka being only 24 years old, he is still plenty young enough that he could hit a new level with the Bruins.
Peterka should be entering this season hungry after his tough 2025-26 season with the Utah Mammoth, as Jaffe also noted. If he can regain his top form with the Bruins and thrive, it would be significant for the Original Six club. It will be interesting to see what kind of season he has for the Bruins from here.
