The Utah Mammoth made a huge splash just before free agency when they acquired J.J. Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres. Peterka found himself in a ton of rumors leading up to the 2025 NHL Draft, and now he is a member of the Mammoth and is very excited for the opportunity. So, let's look at what he brings to the table.

The 23-year-old German native was one of the lone bright spots on a bad Sabres team last season. In 77 games, he had 27 goals and 41 assists for 68 points. Which was an increase from the season before, where he scored 50 points in 82 games. Last season with the Sabres, their season was a disaster. If Peterka played on a better team, he could have hit the 80-point mark, which could be a realistic point target for the upcoming season.

Now in Utah, Peterka walks into a completely different situation. He’s no longer a young player finding his way on a rebuilding roster. He’s expected to be part of the core. And early signs from camp are that head coach André Tourigny is ready to give him that responsibility.

General manager Bill Armstrong spoke to Tracey Myers at NHL.com about what Peterka is going to bring to the lineup.

"He has to come in and get acclimated to Utah and learn the systems but if you look at his points last year, he's roughly around what Cooley was," Mammoth general manager Bill Armstrong said on June 26. "So, he's got an opportunity to come in and have an impact on our top two lines. I think it's something that he can grow into."

Peterka is likely going to start on the top line with Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley, which will form one of the most skilled lines in the NHL. All three play a similar style game, who love to attack off the rush, which should make for some exciting hockey. Peterka isn’t going to be just the third member of that line. He’s got the skill to drive his own line, and with a bit more consistency, he could push for 30–35 goals as soon as this season.

Peterka had this to say to Myers about Cooley and Dylan Guenther.

"Just the skill," Peterka said of Cooley and Guenther. "I think how much skill they have, how easily they beat guys 1-on-1, 1-on-2 and the plays they make. Even against us last year, it was pretty special and pretty cool to see."

One of the reasons Utah was so aggressive in targeting Peterka is because of how well he fits their identity. This team is building a core that can create offensively and compete for a spot in the playoffs. They already have a great young core in place with Keller, Cooley and Guenther. Now adding Peterka to it makes it even stronger, and their team much deeper.

Peterka has had a great start to his NHL career, but the most appealing thing about him as a player is he’s only 23. He’s already producing like a top-six winger, but his game isn’t all the way there yet. He’s still learning how to be more consistent shift-to-shift, especially when it comes to managing the puck in the defensive zone. The tools are all there, but Utah will be hoping that he can continue to develop and potentially become a 100-point player.

There’s also something to be said about timing. Utah wants to build something that lasts. It is clear with how Ryan and Ashley Smith have talked about what they want to bring to Utah. Peterka fits their competitive window and is experienced enough that he can be a key piece for the next five years. That kind of player isn’t easy to find. So when the opportunity came to go out and get him, Armstrong didn’t hesitate.

Armstrong also was able to sign Peterka to a five-year, $38.5 million contract that carries an average annual value of $7.7 million. Unfortunately, hockey is a business and that requires a team to make tough decisions to make the team better. As a result, the Mammoth had to trade Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring to Buffalo. However, they will both play big parts in trying to get the Sabres back to being a good, competitive franchise for the first time in 10+ years.

Peterka is ready to get going in Utah and be a part of this new franchise for years to come. He said this to Myers at NHL.com.

"(Signing for five seasons), that just shows how committed I am to Utah, how excited I am and how much I believe in that group and what they have going and what they're building there. That's why I decided to do that," he said. "I'm just super excited to meet the guys and get things going."

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