Vancouver Canucks
Starter
Sabres trade potential Canucks trade target JJ Peterka to Utah Mammoth
Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/buffal...-canucks-trade-target-jj-peterka-utah-mammoth
The Buffalo Sabres are sending forward JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth, as first reported by Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli.
Breaking: Sources say #Sabres have agreed in principle to trade forward JJ Peterka to @utahmammoth. BUT there is apparently a contingency holding up deal.
If completed, and still a big if, would be a big get for #TusksUp adding another 23-year-old top line forward to the mix.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 26, 2025
The trade sees the 23-year-old Peterka go to Utah in exchange for defenceman Michael Kesselring and forward Josh Doan. According to Seravalli, Peterka — who is a restricted free agent — is signing a five-year extension with the Mammoth. The deal will carry an annual average value of $7.7 million.
Peterka was a player many Canucks fans hoped would be coming to Vancouver this offseason. A play-driving winger with tremendous upside, Peterka scored 28 goals in 2023-24, and tallied 27 goals and 41 assists this past season. Peterka was rumoured to be unhappy with the situation in Buffalo, and has been in NHL trade rumours for quite some time now.
While Kesselring is certainly a phenomenal player with potentially untapped upside still, the return going back to Buffalo feels a bit light. Sure, Josh Doan is a solid middle six winger with intriguing traits and undeniable tenacity,
Of course, the question almost every Canucks fan will ask when they see a trade like this is: the Canucks couldn’t match that? And unfortunately, the answer may have been no simply because there’s a solid chance Buffalo identified Kesselring specifically as the player they really wanted to acquire in this trade. The Canucks just don’t have a player with Kesselring’s pedigree or proven NHL track record, even if players like Tom Willander and Elias Pettersson the defenceman could get there one day.
It was a busy day out in Vancouver with the Canucks’ acquisition of Evander Kane, but amidst the chaos, we also wrote about Peterka as a potential trade target for the Canucks. Obviously that won’t be happening, but if you’re interested in reading that to learn more about Peterka as a player, you can do so by clicking here!
READ NEXT: Progress has been made on multi-year extension between Demko and Canucks; Silovs could be in play
Tune in for The Sheet Draft Special, streaming live on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel on Friday, June 27th at 7 PM EST. Hosted by Jeff Marek, this live special will cover all the action from the 2025 Draft, including expert analysis of top prospects, team-by-team breakdowns, and real-time reactions to every pick. Whether you’re tracking your team’s future stars or just love the drama of draft night, this is your go-to destination for all things Draft.
Source: https://canucksarmy.com/news/buffal...-canucks-trade-target-jj-peterka-utah-mammoth