Sabres Swap Peterka for Mammoth’s Kesselring, Doan

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    BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres initiated their expected offseason restructuring late Wednesday night by agreeing to trade forward JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for forward Josh Doan and defenseman Michael Kesselring. Both organizations confirmed the swap, with Utah disclosing that Peterka signed a five-year contract valued at $38.5 million. Completing his rookie deal this season, Peterka was slated to become a restricted free agent in the upcoming week.

    Chris Armstrong, president of hockey operations for the Mammoth, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition. “There is a lot of excitement and positive momentum surrounding our team right now, and adding a player of J.J. Peterka’s caliber and offensive upside is another great step towards achieving our objectives,” Armstrong stated.

    This trade marks a significant exchange of youthful players all of whom are within their early NHL careers. Peterka, aged 23, recently wrapped up consecutive seasons with over 25 goals, achieving a personal record of 68 points from 27 goals in 77 games this year.

    Josh Doan, likewise 23, is the son of Shane Doan, a former Arizona Coyotes icon. This move symbolizes a strategic shift for the Utah-based organization, detaching from its past connections. During his rookie year last season, Doan tallied seven goals and 19 points. Kesselring, a 25-year-old defenseman, played alongside Doan for Team USA when they triumphed in the world championships in May, claiming their first victory since 1933. Kesselring concluded his second full NHL season matching his career highs with seven goals and 29 points.

    Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams remarked, “One of our priorities as we work through this offseason is making our team more competitive and tougher to play against. The additions of Michael and Josh will help us tremendously in both of those categories.” Listing Kesselring at 6-foot-5 and Doan at 6-2, these physical attributes are viewed as assets.

    After a lackluster conclusion under Lindy Ruff’s first season in his second coaching tenure, the Sabres planned on a roster overhaul. Buffalo finished a disappointing 14th in the Eastern Conference standings, extending their record playoff absence to 14 seasons. The Mammoth, in contrast, acquired an offensive prodigy with Peterka while retaining their No. 4 draft selection. Despite a late playoff charge, Utah ended their season ranked 11th in the Western Conference.

    Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong praised the trade, saying, “J.J. is a highly skilled, creative, young forward with extremely high upside. He will help solidify our scoring and add to what is already a great young core of forwards on the roster.” Originally hailing from Germany, Peterka was chosen in the second round of the 2020 draft, debuting with the Sabres during the 2021-22 season. The 2023-24 season saw him achieve a career-high 28 goals, culminating in 67 goals and 150 points across 238 games.

    Despite his burgeoning skills, trade speculation had surrounded Peterka in recent weeks. On Tuesday, Adams avoided directly addressing these rumors or confirming if Peterka had asked to be traded. He implied further clarity would come post-draft, hinting at additional player movement.

    With Adams feeling pressure in his sixth season, more transactions are expected, with defenseman Bowen Byram also surfacing as a possible trade contender.