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New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
What should the Buffalo Sabres do with JJ Peterka? 4 key questions
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The NHL offseason began in earnest this week in Buffalo with general managers, agents and other league personnel descending upon Western New York for the annual NHL Scouting Combine. And it feels like the Sabres will be at the center of a lot of the NHL's offseason chatter. This is a high-stakes summer for general manager Kevyn Adams as he enters his sixth season on the job. The weight of their league-record playoff drought is getting heavier with every season. But this offseason is about more than just the pressure from the fan base. The Sabres have six restricted free agents, and Alex Tuch is eligible for a contract extension on July 1. That's a lot of moving pieces for a team that hasn't lived up to expectations the last two seasons. Advertisement Of those restricted free agents, JJ Peterka is the one whose situation is most intriguing. The 23-year-old is fresh off a career-best 68-point season one year after he had 50 points. He's a fast, sharp-shooting winger capable of creating offense off the rush. He's everything the Sabres hoped for when they picked him in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft. And yet he's No. 7 on The Athletic's first offseason trade board. Peterka's name first entered the rumor mill around the trade deadline when the Sabres received interest. Adams said then there was 'zero truth' to any suggestion the Sabres were trying to trade Peterka. He also said he viewed him as a 'core young piece' and would prioritize meeting with his agent after the season to talk about the next step. Adams also acknowledged he would need to explain to Peterka how he plans to make the team better this offseason and going forward. That process continued when the sides met at the NHL Combine this week. The stance from Adams and the Sabres is consistent: They don't have an interest in trading Peterka. But that hasn't stopped teams from calling. If anything, the interest in Peterka has intensified since his name has started to pop up in more trade rumors from league insiders. The Sabres' preferred outcome is getting Peterka locked up to another contract. The key, as The Athletic's Chris Johnston wrote last week, is whether Peterka is willing to make that same commitment to the organization. If he's not, the Sabres' decision-making gets a bit more complicated. Speaking on Sportsnet 590 The Fan this week, Elliotte Friedman said, 'Peterka is clearly trying to make noise to force them to make a move.' If that's the case, Adams has a trickier situation on his hands, and he needs to keep his options open. So, what are the Sabres' options? Peterka is a dynamic player. He would have significant value in a trade, especially because outside of Mitch Marner and Nikolaj Ehlers, the free-agent pool isn't deep with goal-scoring wingers. But the Sabres won't be interested in making their team worse this summer. Trading Peterka for a futures-based package doesn't help Buffalo win now. It needs to be a priority for the Sabres next season. Advertisement But if Adams wants to make a significant change to this roster, Peterka is among the most valuable trade chips he has. The Sabres would love to find a right-handed defenseman capable of playing in the top four. They could also use a top-six forward capable of playing a hard-nosed, two-way game. If the Sabres could address one or two of their needs by moving Peterka, it might be worth considering. But the only way it makes sense is if the haul is a significant one that makes Buffalo a more complete team in 2025-26. It also makes sense if the contract negotiations get messy When Peterka's name has been bandied about in online trade chatter, there is talk about the looming threat of an offer sheet. But how much of a threat is that, really? If Peterka doesn't want to be in Buffalo, signing an offer sheet would be a risk, especially if it's long-term. The Sabres have the cap space to match even an aggressive offer sheet. They would like to have him here long-term. He's a known favorite of owner Terry Pegula. If another team wants to do the negotiating for the Sabres, it would make Adams' life easier. The one caveat to that is if a team gets creative and signs him to a short-term offer sheet with a big cap number. That could make Buffalo's decision a bit more complicated and be a risk worth taking for Peterka. If the Sabres match a short-term offer sheet, Peterka is not locked in long-term and has a bit more control over his future. According to AFP Analytics' latest projections, Peterka could command just about $7.8 million per year on a seven-year deal or $4.6 million per year on a two-year deal. Peterka could have the leverage to negotiate bigger numbers, but that's the ballpark the Sabres will be dealing with. Adams already acknowledged the Sabres need to sell Peterka on the team's vision. Maybe that opens the door for a short-term deal that allows Adams to prove to Peterka that the Sabres can become a winner. It's not an ideal outcome for the Sabres because Peterka would be due for another contract when the cap continues to climb. But it might be a necessary compromise depending on how much Peterka is willing to dig in. The Sabres have four more years of team control with Peterka before he becomes a free agent, so they don't have to move him. Advertisement Central to all of Buffalo's decision-making when it comes to Peterka is properly evaluating the type of player he is and the type of player he can become. His goal-scoring and playmaking ability have been evident during his first three NHL seasons. He had 27 goals and 41 assists last season after 28 goals and 22 assists the season before. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Sabres had 46 percent of the expected goals when Peterka was on the ice at five-on-five, so his two-way game still needs improvement. Peterka also noted toward the end of the year that he's striving to be more consistent and wants to make sure his body language is better during frustrating moments. Peterka has already proven he's a capable top-six winger. He has spent plenty of time on Buffalo's top line and power play, and there's still plenty of upside in his game. After investing so much time and energy into his development, the Sabres wouldn't be eager to see him leave just as he's beginning to enter his prime. But like the rest of Buffalo's offseason, it's complicated.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Amerks Facing Elimination After Loss To Laval
The Rochester Americans shifted to Laval in their best-of-five AHL North second-round series after splitting the first two games at Blue Cross Arena last weekend, but after tying the game in the third period, the hometown Rocket scored three unanswered goals in a 4-1 victory at Place Bell on Wednesday. Laval opened the scoring just 15 seconds into the contest, as Sabres winger Alex Tuch's younger brother Luke beat Devon Levi on a long shot. The Amerks outshot Laval 33-20 in the contest, but were unable to beat Rocket goalie Cayden Primeau until early in the third, when Jiri Kulich and Jack Rathbone set up Lukas Rousek for the tying goal. Other Sabres Stories Is Peterka In Prime Position For Big Payday? Sabres Summer Dilemmas - Bowen Byram Sabres Facing An Off-Season Of Change The deadlock lasted just 2:11, as Florian Xhekaj put Laval ahead for good on a backhand roofed over Levi's left shoulder. The Rocket pulled away with goals from Laurent Dauphin and Joshua Roy to take the series lead 2-1. 'I really like our game, but (the Xhekaj goal) was a momentum killer,' Rochester coach Michael Leone said after the loss. 'I think the shots were 26-12 after (the first and second) periods…..that's a tough one. When (Laval) get one (goal) in this building, they build a lot of momentum.' The series resumes on Friday with Rochester facing elimination for the first time. If they win, the fifth and deciding game will take place on Sunday afternoon in Laval. Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo
New York Times
26-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What will next contract for Sabres' Alex Tuch look like? An early projection
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Alex Tuch has a lot of leverage. The Buffalo Sabres' veteran forward is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. He played 82 games for the first time. He broke a record for shot blocks by a forward and led the NHL in short-handed goals and short-handed points. He did all of that while producing 36 goals and 31 assists. He was also plus-16, one of the few two-way bright spots on one of the worst defensive teams in the NHL. Advertisement 'He's typically a guy that leads our forwards in minutes, plays in every situation,' Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said. 'I thought he had a tremendous season and he loves Buffalo and wants to be here. So, he's a priority. He's a guy that we certainly hope to have for a long time.' Since coming to Buffalo as part of the Jack Eichel trade in 2021, Tuch has become a fan favorite. He grew up a couple of hours away in Syracuse and was a longtime fan of the Sabres. His gregarious personality and giving nature have made him an asset to the community. For three straight seasons, fans have voted Tuch the winner of the Rick Martin Memorial Award, which is given to the player who best demonstrates 'on-ice excellence, resiliency, and dedication to the community.' Tuch took on the added responsibility of being an alternate captain. He's one of the few players on Buffalo's roster who has meaningful playoff experience. He's one of the franchise's most important players on and off the ice. And since he's been in Buffalo, Tuch has also been an incredible bargain with his $4.75 million salary. That bargain is going to run out soon, though. Tuch, who turns 29 in May, has one year left on his contract. He's eligible to sign an extension on July 1. Asked about his contract situation the day after Buffalo's season ended, Tuch kept things open-ended. 'I haven't given it too much thought, honestly,' Tuch said when asked about his contract situation and possibly signing long term with the Sabres. 'I was really focused on this year. I had some goals in mind, playing 82 games and I try to grow as a player each and every day. I haven't given it too much thought. I think in the CBA, I don't even think they can talk to my agent until July 1 or anything like that. When it comes to that, I'm hands off. I let my agent do all of that. I love it here in Buffalo. I really enjoy my time here and I would like to win here in Buffalo. I haven't even really talked to my wife about it, honestly. That's the first person I'm going to have to talk to. We'll see if they say anything and we'll go from there.' Advertisement Tuch's contract feels like the biggest puzzle piece the Sabres need to figure out in their roster building going forward. Yes, they have some key restricted free agents to handle this summer. But Tuch's cap hit in 2026-27 and beyond will impact the type of contracts the Sabres are able to give those restricted free agents. Tuch should be the team's highest-paid forward on his next contract and has a chance to be the team's second-highest-paid player behind defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Clearly, Tuch has the leverage. But his contract situation isn't necessarily simple, either. There are a few factors to consider. Tuch is about to turn 29, so he will be 30 during the first year of his next contract. A seven-year contract would take him through his age-36 season. The Sabres are the only team that can offer Tuch an eight-year contract, but that would take him through his age-37 season. A contract of that length carries some risk for the Sabres. They have to consider how gracefully Tuch will age. Tuch's game is such that he should be able to stay effective into his mid-30s. The big key will be how well he takes care of his body. He said he did some different things this year in terms of nutrition and training to try to stay on the ice for all 82 games. If he continues to do so, maybe he can prolong his career. The way he plays at the net front, his smarts and stick on the forecheck and his shooting ability should all age well. His speed will take a hit at some point, and Tuch has also dealt with a lot of nagging injuries in his career. That makes an eight-year deal a bit aggressive, but stretching the contract to eight years might make the cap hit more manageable. The length of the deal will be something Tuch considers, too. He has to think about whether he's willing to sign what's likely the rest of his career away to play in Buffalo. Is he convinced that the Sabres are close to not only ending their 14-year playoff drought but on the path to competing for the Stanley Cup? If Tuch isn't convinced, his best path out is in free agency next season. That's when the cap will go even higher and he could cash in on the open market. Otherwise, a long-term deal makes the most sense for Tuch to maximize his total earnings. A deal in the four- or five-year range only makes sense if Tuch is confident he can maintain his level of play enough to cash in again at 34 or 35. Will he still be an $8 million player at that age? Advertisement According to Dom Luszczyszyn's player cards, Tuch's 'market value' is $7.6 million based on his production. The cap hit on his next contract will likely be bigger than that. It feels like $8 million is the floor for Tuch after St. Louis signed Pavel Buchnevich to a six-year deal worth $8 million per year last summer. Like Tuch, Buchnevich is starting that contract in his age-30 season. Like Tuch, Buchnevich is a sturdy, two-way winger. Tuch has more scoring upside, while Buchnevich brings a bit more nastiness. But the two are comparable players and that should be where the conversation begins with Tuch. But Tuch also has the leverage to ask for more. Last summer, Jake Guentzel signed a seven-year contract worth $9 million per year with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Guentzel was 29 at the time of signing but played the first year of that deal at age 30. While Guentzel is a more prolific goal scorer than Tuch, I'm not sure we can confidently say that $9 million is the upper limit for Tuch. For starters, Guentzel signed to play for a Stanley Cup contender in a no-income tax state with ideal weather. Tuch would be signing up to play for a perennial losing franchise in a state with high taxes and a noticeable lack of palm trees. Guentzel had the leverage of being a free agent on the open market. Tuch will have the leverage of being a player the Sabres can't afford to lose. Guentzel's deal was also about 10 percent of the $88 million salary-cap ceiling at the time. Tuch's contract will start in the year when the salary-cap ceiling is expected to be $104 million. Even if he's not worth 10 percent of the cap, a $9.4 million salary would be the equivalent of the Buchnevich contract, which was 9 percent of the $88 million cap when he signed it. A cap hit north of $9 million would put Tuch among the 40 highest-paid players in the NHL. He would also be one of the 12 highest-paid wingers in the NHL based on cap hit. Those numbers will be changing with the cap going up, but there's a limit to how high Tuch can push his number. The other two comparable players to Tuch are both centers. J.T. Miller signed a seven-year contract worth $8 million per year that began during his age-30 season. And Jets center Mark Scheifele signed a seven-year contract that pays him $8.5 million per year. That started in his age-31 season. The tricky part of Tuch's negotiation is how much the salary cap is going up. But I'd be thinking about his contract in terms of total value, and $60 million seems like a fair ballpark. That's just over $8.5 million on a seven-year deal. The cap hit probably goes up a bit if it's a shorter deal. And Tuch should be able to get plenty of trade protection in this deal. Sabres fans shouldn't necessarily panic if Tuch doesn't put pen to paper on a new contract on July 1. He could want to see how the offseason plays out before committing the rest of his career to Buffalo. But if Tuch starts the season without a contract, that could be a nerve-racking situation for Sabres fans. Both sides would be taking a risk by waiting. Every day Tuch gets closer to free agency, the Sabres risk losing him for nothing. But Tuch's value is also sky high right now, and passing on a life-changing contract is always a risk for a player when an injury could change things. Of the long-term extensions Adams has signed during his tenure, the majority have come late in the summer, before the start of the season. Dylan Cozens' midseason extension was the exception. According to PuckPedia, the Sabres currently have $43 million in salary cap space for 2026-27 with 10 players under contract. They have an estimated $67 million in cap space in 2027-28 with six players under contract. With the rising cap, the Sabres wouldn't have much trouble fitting Tuch into their long-term salary cap. Even if JJ Peterka has a cap hit north of $7 million and Bowen Byram comes in north of $6 million, the Sabres are still in decent shape in 2026-27. Zach Benson, Isak Rosek and Peyton Krebs are the only RFAs they need to worry about that season. Beck Malenstyn, Sam Lafferty, Connor Clifton and Jacob Bryson are the other unrestricted free agents after that season. And the following year, when the cap is expected to rise to $113 million, Jiri Kulich and Noah Ostlund are the restricted free agents of note. This will be a fascinating contract situation to watch play out. Few would argue that the Sabres should want Tuch in Buffalo as long as possible. But a variety of factors make the final landing spot a tricky one to project. We're still in the early stages of figuring out how teams, players and agents will handle the rising salary cap. Advertisement We saw Dahlin push his value all the way to $11 million per year, and Owen Power got $8.3 million per year. The Sabres won't be negotiating from a position of strength with Tuch the season he had and their situation as a team. My early guess is that if Tuch is willing to sign, he'll get at least $8.5 million on a seven-year deal.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Coach Lindy Ruff earns 900th victory in Sabres' season-ending 5-4 win over Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers' Matvei Michkov, right, celebrates his goal with Jakob Pelletier during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton) Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff celebrates a victory after an NHL hockey game against the Ottawa Senators, Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes) Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch celebrates after his goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch celebrates after his goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) Philadelphia Flyers' Matvei Michkov, right, celebrates his goal with Jakob Pelletier during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens, Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton) Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff celebrates a victory after an NHL hockey game against the Ottawa Senators, Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes) Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch celebrates after his goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Ryan McLeod scored a goal and added two assists, and Lindy Ruff became the NHL's fifth coach to reach 900 wins in the Buffalo Sabres 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in each team's season finale on Thursday night. Alex Tuch, JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn had a goal and assist each, and Peyton Krebs scored a short-handed goal for Buffalo. James Reimer made 21 saves for his eighth win in 10 starts to finish the season 10-10-2. Advertisement Ruff joined Florida's Paul Maurice (916 wins) as the NHL's only active coaches with 900 or more wins. In his second stint coaching the Sabres, Ruff ranks second with 607 victories with one team, behind only Al Arbour, who had 740 with the Islanders. Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov snapped a six-game goal drought by scoring twice and Tyson Foerster and Bobby Brink had a goal and assist. Rookie Aleksei Kolosov stopped 26 shots, and the loss secured Philadelphia finishing last in the Eastern Conference standings for the second time in team history. After nearly blowing a 4-1 second-period lead, McLeod sealed the win with an empty-netter with 48 seconds left in a game the Sabres never trailed. Takeaways Advertisement Flyers: Michkov finished with 26 goals, the sixth most by a Flyers rookie, and most since Mikael Renberg had 38 in 1993-94. Sabres: Tuch set an NHL record among forwards with 112 blocked shots. Key moment With Buffalo up 4-3, a replay review with 11:38 showed Flyers' Sean Couturier's shot sneaking under Reimer, but the puck failing to completely cross the line. Key stat The Sabres closed the season with a 23-15-3 home record, marking their most wins in Buffalo since having 25 in 2009-10. ___ AP NHL:
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sabres take win streak into matchup with the Blue Jackets
Sabres take win streak into matchup with the Blue Jackets Buffalo Sabres (35-36-6, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (35-33-9, in the Metropolitan Division) Columbus, Ohio; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres will attempt to prolong a five-game win streak with a victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Advertisement Columbus has a 23-10-5 record at home and a 35-33-9 record overall. The Blue Jackets have a 6-7-8 record in games decided by one goal. Buffalo has a 35-36-6 record overall and a 13-22-3 record on the road. The Sabres have gone 32-11-5 when scoring three or more goals. The matchup Thursday is the third time these teams square off this season. The Sabres won 3-2 in the last meeting. Alex Tuch led the Sabres with two goals. TOP PERFORMERS: Kirill Marchenko has 31 goals and 39 assists for the Blue Jackets. Boone Jenner has six goals and three assists over the last 10 games. Tage Thompson has 44 goals and 27 assists for the Sabres. Tuch has scored eight goals and added five assists over the past 10 games. Advertisement LAST 10 GAMES: Blue Jackets: 4-5-1, averaging three goals, 5.2 assists, 3.4 penalties and eight penalty minutes while giving up 3.9 goals per game. Sabres: 8-2-0, averaging 4.4 goals, 7.1 assists, 3.4 penalties and 7.1 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game. INJURIES: Blue Jackets: None listed. Sabres: None listed. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
