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Maple Leafs' Failed Trade Exposed as Frank Seravalli Shares New Details

Originally posted on Blade of Steel | By Tom Banks | Last updated Jul 9, 2025 11:57 AM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs were looking for a big upgrade this summer, and while they landed on Matias Maccelli, they almost had star forward JJ Peterka from Buffalo according to Insider Frank Seravalli after his latest report.

The NHL off-season has slowed to halt in recent weeks, but leading into the NHL Draft there were some solid moves made, most of all from the Utah Mammoth, who acquired Buffalo Sabres star JJ Peterka for a surprisingly low return.

The return for the Sabres was Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan, and at that price, it's surprising that many other teams around the league didn't get in on the Peterka sweepstakes and blow the Sabres away with a little better offer than what they got.

Now, we know from Frank Seravalli that there were indeed several other offers, to the point where questions are being raised over why GM Kevyn Adams would try deal him to Utah instead of taking a better offer.

'There were so many interesting offers on the table, I'm surprised Buffalo went with this one; Wild offered Rossi plus, Blues put Kyrou on table, a team offered two 1sts plus; Isles' Dobson was in the conversation.'

Seravalli also interestingly revealed that the Toronto Maple Leafs were in as well, but as we know, whatever their offer was, it wasn't quite as attractive to Adams as the deal he ended up taking.

Reportedly, Brandon Carlo would have been a key piece of the deal, and given what Utah ended up giving up, it's safe to say that Carlo could have been a key piece to a deal, but ultimately, it wasn't meant to be as the Sabres string of confusing moves in recent years continues.

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

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