The Buffalo Sabres are not expected to be heavily involved in this year’s trade deadline, but one young standout, JJ Peterka, has emerged as a name linked to trade rumors. The New York Rangers are reportedly in the mix for the top-line winger, as noted by Lance Lysowski from The Buffalo News.
Lysowski points out that Rangers assistant coach Michael Peca has worked closely with Peterka during his solitary season in the minors, where Peterka led his team with 28 goals and 68 points in 70 AHL games under Peca and head coach Seth Appert.
The chances of Peterka being traded before the deadline appear very low. At just 23 years old, he has become a key player for the Sabres, securing a top-line position at the end of last season and continuing to perform remarkably this year with 18 goals and 49 points in 58 games—ranking third in scoring on the team behind Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin. If he maintains his current pace, he could finish the season with 69 points and 25 goals, a testament to his scoring ability, even if it falls short of his 28 goals from last year.
Since making his NHL debut in the 2021-22 season, Peterka has recorded 58 goals and 131 points in 219 games, establishing himself as a cornerstone of the Sabres and arguably their best draft pick in recent times. Buffalo selected him 34th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, and he has emerged as the most productive player from that draft class outside of the first round.
A trade for Peterka would require a significant offer. The Sabres are currently enduring a 13-season playoff drought, the longest among major North American sports leagues. Peterka has been a vital offensive contributor during this challenging period, but the team still struggles overall. Lysowski mentioned that Buffalo will seek NHL-ready players in any trades, which could delay any deal involving Peterka to the offseason.
The Rangers might consider trading forward Alexis Lafreniere, the first overall pick in Peterka’s draft year, though Lafreniere has not replicated the same early success. He has 14 goals and 35 points in 62 games this season, having set career highs last year with 28 goals and 57 points. However, even with his draft status, the Rangers may need to include additional assets to make the deal appealing, potentially involving players like K’Andre Miller or Braden Schneider. Schneider would be particularly appealing due to his right-shot, which Buffalo needs. Still, it seems that draft picks may also be necessary to acquire a rising talent like Peterka.
The Rangers have not hesitated to make bold moves this season, having traded away players like Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, Jacob Trouba, Jimmy Vesey, and Victor Mancini since the year’s start. They’ve managed these trades without sacrificing too many future assets, setting the stage for further trades. Recently, they added Brendan Brisson to their thin prospect pool, joining other promising prospects. While acquiring Peterka may not address the logjam of wingers in the Rangers’ pipeline, it would certainly provide a substantial upgrade over their current options.
