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Sabres Turned Down Multiple Blockbuster Trade Offers for JJ Peterka: Report

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Michael Gallagher | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 11:39 PM ET

The Buffalo Sabres shocked the NHL world on Wednesday night when they traded star forward JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for 23-year-old winger Josh Doan, Utah’s No. 7 prospect according to The Athletic, and 25-year-old defenseman Michael Kesselring.

Peterka, who cored 27 goals and career-high 68 points last season, promptly signed a five-year contract extension with Utah that will pay him $7.7 million per season.

On the surface, Buffalo’s return was viewed as underwhelming by many analysts who expected the former second-round pick to bring back a more impressive trade package. But after reports started emerging on Thursday of deals the Sabres turned down, that sentiment started to grow.

According to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, Sabres fans have every right to be upset with Buffalo’s return for Peterka considering the other offers on the table that were turned down.

“What really stands out to me is, there was just such a big market for JJ Peterka, there was all sorts of kinds of deals that (general manager) Kevyn Adams could’ve gotten his hands on,” Seravalli said. “There was one team who offered two first-round picks plus two roster players. I think the St. Louis Blues had Jordan Kyrou on the table.

“I think at one point in time, the New York Islanders were talking about Noah Dobson, and you smash all those things together and you go, ‘Kesselring and Doan?’ It’s not getting anyone excited in Western New York, and I understand why when you have to give up on a guy that was a fan favorite.”

Kyrou, 27, is coming off three straight 30-goal seasons, logging 70 or more points in two of them. He would’ve given Buffalo a high-scoring replacement for Peterka who could step right in and fill his roster spot in the top six seamlessly.

Dobson would have been a big get for Buffalo as well. The 25-year-old defenseman is a perennial Norris Trophy candidate who’s scored 39 or more points in each of the last four seasons and would have immediately became the Sabres’ top defenseman.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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