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Islanders and Sabres Reportedly Hold Trade Discussions for Two Star Players

Originally posted on Blade of Steel
By Graham Montgomery | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 9:01 AM ET

The New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres are reportedly in discussions for a trade that could see JJ Peterka moved to New York with star defenseman Noah Dobson going the other way according to Frank Seravalli.

All three New York based NHL teams had disappointing seasons this year.

The Rangers missed the playoffs after appearing in the Eastern Conference finals a year ago, the Islanders just barely missed the playoffs, and the Sabres extended their NHL-record playoff drought for another season.

Things are perhaps most dire for Buffalo, as the team didn't even come close to making the playoffs after showing signs of improvement in the 2023-24 campaign.

Now it appears as though both the Sabres and the Islanders are looking to shake things up, following in the Rangers footsteps.

According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, the two teams have been actively involved in trade discussions centered around Sabres forward JJ Peterka and Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson.

Such a deal could make a ton of sense for both teams as Peterka is reportedly not interested in signing an extension in Buffalo, and the Islanders are poised to select defenseman Matthew Schafer 1st overall in this year's draft, making Dobson expendable.

Furthermore, the Sabres could be looking for help on their blue line as the team is reportedly considering buying out Mattias Samuelsson this summer.

Peterka, a second round pick in the 2019 draft, has since developed into one of the best German players in the league, and he is coming off a career year where he set a new high in points with 68, blowing away his previous high of 50.

The Islanders could certainly use a forward that can score like that, and with Schafer most likely joining the organization later this week, they could afford to give up a player like Dobson on the back end.

If these rumors are to be believed, we may very well see this trade take place sometime this week as we approach the draft and free agency. Stay tuned to see what happens.

This article first appeared on Blade of Steel and was syndicated with permission.

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