Young winger building on international success in sophomore NHL season
Young winger building on international success in sophomore NHL season
The Buffalo Sabres offense seems to be on track after a sluggish start of the season. Jeff Skinner is one of the few scorers who has enjoyed early success and leads the club with five goals, but through nine games it is not Alex Tuch or Dylan Cozens tied for second with Tage Thompson with four goals, it is 21-year-old J-J Peterka.
Hopes have been high for Peterka ever since Buffalo selected him 34th overall in the 2020 Draft. After averaging nearly a point per game in 2021-22, the German-born winger graduated to the Sabres last season and had 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 77 games.
Peterka’s performance at the 2023 World Championships was an encouraging sign of his growth as a potential top-six NHL forward, as he led Team Germany to the gold medal game against Canada and was named the top forward of the tournament. Entering training camp, the Sabres were relying on youngsters like Peterka to take a step and shoulder more of the offensive burden, with Jack Quinn out until at least December with an Achilles injury, and he has not disappointed.
The most impressive aspect of how Peterka is playing is that he has been able to find his mark playing on at least three different line combinations in the nine games that Buffalo has played. Sabres head coach Don Granato rewarded the young winger’s consistency by placing him with Skinner and Casey Mittelstadt on Sunday and he rewarded him with the opening goal of the game.
Buffalo is still searching for the right line combinations, and things will likely keep changing, with Matthew Savoie returning from an AHL conditioning stint, the uncertain status of 18-year-old Zach Benson, and the return of Quinn expected sometime before Christmas.
Whatever the changes will be, it appears that one certainty is Peterka’s place in the Sabres top-six.
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