Some change is needed in Buffalo, and JJ Peterka has value and leverage
Daily Faceoff: Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk talking about some of the names on his NHL Trade Targets list, including Buffalo Sabres pending RFA forward JJ Peterka.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Yaremchuk: “Today, we are talking about the trade targets board. And the name at number one is a highly skilled player who is very young and comes with team control. So I ask, why are the Buffalo Sabres looking to trade JJ Peterka?
Seravalli: “They may not have a choice. I think it’s gone sideways in Buffalo for Peterka and a handful of other Sabres players. I think they’re unhappy with the lack of progress, and it’s hard to really squint and see light at the end of the tunnel, as they’ve hit 14 consecutive seasons without the playoffs.
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They’ve made one trade of consequence in the entire season. They retained their entire coaching staff and management group, which is kind of bizarre. And they’re arriving at this moment in time where Peterka has some not just significant value, but leverage. He’s a pending RFA. He doesn’t have to sign a new deal with you. He’s subject to an offer sheet on July 1, if he makes it that far.
So I think he might be, with all due respect, you know, Mitch Marner is the best free agent available this summer, but JJ Peterka is the best player on the trade market that is available. And when you add in his age, you’re talking about significant, significant value coming back to the Buffalo Sabres.
So not a comfortable position to be in. I think it’s going to take a lot of work to see JJ Peterka in a Sabres uniform in the fall. It’s real hard for me at this point in time to see it. And it’s going to be fascinating to watch it develop, because I think there’s a number of teams that had expressed some significant interest when it came to the trade deadline in March. I don’t think Buffalo is ready to consider it then, I don’t know that they’re going to have a choice.”
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