How the Utah Mammoth pulled off — and won — the blockbuster trade for J.J. Peterka

Wednesday night checked off another first for the Utah Mammoth.

That is, see two fan-favorite players get traded in a blockbuster deal to bring in high-end talent.

Utah acquired forward J.J. Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for defenseman Michael Kesselring and forward Josh Doan. Peterka, who would’ve been a restricted free agent, agreed to a five-year, $38.5 million contract extension ($7.7 million average annual value) with the Mammoth as part of the trade.

It may sting at first, Mammoth fans, but this is a good thing. I promise.

Much of the allure of the Mammoth’s first season in Salt Lake City was that fans got to know the players — their style on the ice, personality away from it and their place in the community. Utahns embraced this team like no other. The trade, understandably, was a shock.

But this is what serious teams do.

They go out, assess the market and decide what can improve their group. They make the hard decisions — and put their business goggles on — to give the least away in return. That is what general manager Bill Armstrong did here and Utah will be better for it in the long run.

Now, let’s break down the trade.

Who is J.J. Peterka?

Peterka is a 23-year-old winger who will bring the top-six scoring punch that Utah was missing for stretches of last season. The Munich native had 68 points (27 goals, 41 assists) in 77 games in his final run in Buffalo while skating on the first line (with Josh Norris and Tage Thompson) and on the first power play unit. Peterka had six goals on the man advantage.

The Sabres selected Peterka — who is 6 feet and 189 pounds — 34th overall (second round) in the 2020 NHL Draft. He started his career in the AHL in 2021-2022 and posted 68 points (28 goals, 40 assists) before making the leap up. Peterka logged 32 points in his rookie season followed by 50 the next year.

On paper, Peterka was a key piece to Buffalo’s young core, a player they would be foolish to move on from. But, in the end, it seems it was not wholly their choice. And that is partially because of where they stand as a franchise.

The Sabres finished 26th in the league last season after landing 22nd in 2023-2024 and 20th in 2022-2023. The hockey world was waiting for Buffalo to finally pop. But it has just gotten worse. That was reportedly a concern for Peterka.

Peterka’s name came up in rumors around the NHL trade deadline in March, but Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said he was not going to move the forward. At the time, he added, “We need to make sure we’re also explaining to him how we’re going to make the team better.” Fast forward to Adams’ pre-draft news conference on Tuesday, he would neither confirm nor deny if Peterka had asked for a trade.

The price and term of Peterka’s contract in Utah also signal his desire to leave Buffalo. It sounds like the five years at $7.7 million AAV was something the Sabres were prepared to meet. The internal negotiations may not have been about the deal but, instead, the environment.

Peterka joins a line of NHL stars who were traded — or forced themselves out of — Buffalo: Ryan O’Reilly (went on to win Stanley Cup with St. Louis Blues while Armstrong was there), Jack Eichel (went on to win Stanley Cup with Vegas Golden Knights) and Sam Reinhart (went on to win Stanley Cup with Florida Panthers).

The Sabres also have the longest playoff drought in league history, dating back to 2011. They have not won a series since 2007.

The Mammoth got lucky in that respect. Losing Kesselring and Doan does take a shot at their depth, but it is a more than reasonable package on this trade. Armstrong got Peterka without having to give up the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, any prospects, or top-pair/top-six players.

What’s more, Utah got a forward that fits its mold and its future. Peterka is far from playing at his highest potential. He will join a young core, be given responsibility (on both ends of the ice) and be able to develop on the same timeline as the organization that is making a push. He fills the need for goals on the wing with a lower price tag, too. Looking at others on the market — guys like Mitch Marner, Brock Boeser and Nikolaj Ehlers — they would all require more commitment (in term and AAV) and are all 28 or older.

The Mammoth saw the situation in Buffalo, had the right assets to give on their end, and struck for a player in Peterka who could bring them to the next level.

Who did Utah give up?

Kesselring was, likely, the biggest allure for Buffalo in this trade. If everything comes together for him, he could be a unicorn in the NHL. He is a 6-foot-5, 220-pound right-shot defenseman who proved he could play both top-four minutes and a more depth role last season.

The 25-year-old had 29 points (seven goals, 22 assists) in 82 games while filling in on the power play when the Mammoth had their backend injuries. He can fight, he can hit and he has one of the hardest shots in the league. Consistency will be key for Kesselring, but he is another player who has yet to reach their ceiling. That is a tough package to give away if he pans out, but that is what it costs to build a winning team in the NHL.

Plus, Utah can make up for his gap. The team has Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino, Sean Durzi, Olli Määttä and Ian Cole locked up for at least next season. Marino and Durzi both have right shots. Dmitri Simashev (sixth overall pick in 2023) just signed his entry-level contract and Maveric Lamoureux (another right shot) and Artem Duda have been developing with the Tucson Roadrunners.

In Doan, the Sabres are getting a hard-nosed, forechecking, physical forward who can also score — but is a bit streaky. The 23-year-old started the year in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners but battled his way into a middle-six position with the Mammoth and finished the season with 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) in 51 games. He is entering the final year of his entry-level contract.

Doan found his footing on the third line with Lawson Crouse and Jack McBain in the latter half of the season but losing a third-liner for a first-liner is okay if not great. Doan and Kesselring combined for 48 points last year — Peterka had 68.

It will always be something to wonder about — what Kesselring and Doan would’ve become if they stayed in Utah. It is the risk every general manager takes when making a trade. The Mammoth, though, satisfied a need (top-six goalscorer) without cutting a big hole in their lineup.

That is a positive.