Sabres Trade JJ Peterka to Utah for Defenseman Michael Kesselring and Forward Josh Doan

[PromoTheRobot]

2 minutes ago, Weave said:

During the tank years I was pretty adamant that a GM that waited until trade deadline to move players they did not expect to re-sign was a negligent Gm because they waited until value was minimized to make the move.  I like this deal because KA moved JJP while his value was still high.

I don’t like this move because it feels like we didn’t get equal value in return.

This is an attempt to change the type of play on the ice.  I think the team needs that desperately.  Is it enough?  Probably not, especially when we now have to overcome the loss of JJs offense. No easy task as currently it requires the current roster to perform above their past performances.

I will withhold judgement until after Byram is moved.

This trade practically guarantees Byram is going somewhere.

[Rasmus_]

Can someone gage my sketchy recollection of whether or not Kesserling came out of nowhere this year as an analytics darling?  I just have no real memory of him being anything more than a 6th or 7th defenseman previously?

[shrader]

2 minutes ago, Weave said:

During the tank years I was pretty adamant that a GM that waited until trade deadline to move players they did not expect to re-sign was a negligent Gm because they waited until value was minimized to make the move.  I like this deal because KA moved JJP while his value was still high.

I don’t like this move because it feels like we didn’t get equal value in return.

This is an attempt to change the type of play on the ice.  I think the team needs that desperately.  Is it enough?  Probably not, especially when we now have to overcome the loss of JJs offense. No easy task as currently it requires the current roster to perform above their past performances.

I will withhold judgement until after Byram is moved.

I need to see the full offseason to really know for sure. If this is one of those culture change moments, there should be a lot of it. 

[Taro T]

Really enjoyed watching Peterka on the rush.

Had been resigned to Peterka going out the door since the trade deadline when there was so much smoke about him getting traded then.  But really wanted him to be a piece in a larger deal, not him being the big piece getting moved.

This trade CAN work.  But that margin for error on needing everything to go right just got smaller again.

And referring to the post about how this should make the D better, well it might.  But D-men often don't look as good in their 1st season in a new place as they did look.  Still would've preferred punting Wilford to improve the defensive play; that one has a higher probability of helping THIS season.

[PromoTheRobot]

38 minutes ago, CallawaySabres said:

We all knew that the second Adams was kept on, any trade value coming back for these moves was going to be awful. If the owner doesn’t care, honestly, why should we?

this is where I have landed and I just hope that a new GM next year can get much better trade value for Dahlin.

You act like there has been a series of poor trades. McLeod for Savoie? People reacted the same way as they are now, but McLeod came in and did well. It was what we all say we want: Use an asset to get better now and overpay if you have to. 

Cozens/Gilbert for Norris/JBD is TBD until we see what Norris brings. Mittelstadt for Byrum I guess is a wash until we see what Byrum brings in trade. 

Remember how Adams "overvalues his players?? Well, look at us now.

[Weave]

10 minutes ago, shrader said:

I need to see the full offseason to really know for sure. If this is one of those culture change moments, there should be a lot of it. 

Agreed.  The seemingly inevitable Byram deal should tell us alot about whether KA is just continuing to nibble around the edges, or if he is super cereal this time.

[bob_sauve28]

3 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

 

He sure goes to the net. 

[French Collection]

I am underwhelmed by the return.

I like the guys coming back, they have grit, which is in short supply. Kesselring could be a long term top 4 RHD, which is a need. Doan’s upside is limited imo, but he brings a Panthers like attitude. The Sabres got harder to play against.

I wanted KA to do something and he did. JJP’s offence will need to be replaced, hopefully by a playmaker, because I believe Kulich can replace JJP’s goals.

I can’t do anything about this, just wait and see and judge it by on ice performance. At least JJP won’t win a Cup in the short term.

[Mango]

7 hours ago, ... said:

Some of you are going to have to admit that this trade looks bad because the purpose of it was to deliver a partner for Power. Power is the poster-child of the problems this roster has.

This always seemed a little crazy to me. Like, shouldn't the expectation be that the $8m player should elevate those around him. Not remove a solid homegrown talent just to make him serviceable?

[LGR4GM]

What if Dahlin wanted Peterka gone?

[eman]

1 hour ago, #freejame said:

Thoughts:

-After all the reports of interest in Peterka, the return is disappointing. Makes me wonder if other GMs thought it would have taken them less

-Count me skeptical on Kesselring. I’m not of the belief that D are as plug and play as F, and he’s probably coming in to a less disciplined team defensively

-On the flip side, it wouldn’t surprise me if Doan plays a larger role here. People will like him

-As long as Kevyn Adams is making the decisions, I will not have confidence in the Sabres being successful

-There’s a general turning on Terry over the last 2-3 months coming from the Athletic and their writers. It’s interesting. Much of what I see now are things people have been saying even before EEE was implemented. 

-We’ve got more cap space to make a big move in FA this summer. Kesselring+Doan+Marner (7x14) for Peterka is great for us. 

I am super doubtful Marner even considers Buffalo. I think It is high up on his no movement clause. Money won't be enough as he has a boatload already and will get a boatload more wherever he lands. (personally, I would love to see Marner here but it isn't happening)

[Taro T]

10 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

What if Dahlin wanted Peterka gone?

Still believe the return should've been greater.  Except in very limited cases, the reason for the Sabres making him available really shouldn't factor in for what the return should be.

[JohnC]

44 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

This trade practically guarantees Byram is going somewhere.

If Byram gets dealt and the return is a solid/good defenseman coming back, then the tandem deals (JJP deal) will result in a different composition for the unit. That would be an essential accomplishment for the offseason to do list.

 

13 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

What if Dahlin wanted Peterka gone?

Peterka wanted Peterka gone. 

[LGR4GM]

42 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

You act like there has been a series of poor trades. McLeod for Savoie? People reacted the same way as they are now, but McLeod came in and did well. It was what we all say we want: Use an asset to get better now and overpay if you have to. 

Cozens/Gilbert for Norris/JBD is TBD until we see what Norris brings. Mittelstadt for Byrum I guess is a wash until we see what Byrum brings in trade. 

Remember how Adams "overvalues his players?? Well, look at us now.

What's interesting is that McLeod for Savoie was laughed at by everyone... accept analytics Twitter. 

The Cozens trade was laughed at by everyone... accept analytics Twitter. 

This trade... same thing. 

[Mango]

7 hours ago, krakensabr56390 said:

Peterka is a good fwd be he is not a star - we need to stop exaggerating 60-70 pt one dimensional player. He has a lot to prove to be a a star - or will be a Jeff skinner 2.0. Would you be mad getting the return we got for Jeff skinner in his youth knowing what he is? If they actually spend the money they have from doing this ( big if) it’s these 2 guys plus another 5 million dollar player 

 

we have a few guys that can turn into another JJ in the pipeline but no one like the 2 guys we just got.

 

 

Dude, I don't think you're making the point you think you are.

A 23 year old Skinner, locked up until 28 at $7.5M per is tremendously valuable.

The Skinner you hate is 10 years away. Trading away a 40 goal scorer with a reasonable contact because you might hate him in 10 years is insane.

[SabresVet]

18 minutes ago, French Collection said:

I am underwhelmed by the return.

I like the guys coming back, they have grit, which is in short supply. Kesselring could be a long term top 4 RHD, which is a need. Doan’s upside is limited imo, but he brings a Panthers like attitude. The Sabres got harder to play against.

I wanted KA to do something and he did. JJP’s offence will need to be replaced, hopefully by a playmaker, because I believe Kulich can replace JJP’s goals.

I can’t do anything about this, just wait and see and judge it by on ice performance. At least JJP won’t win a Cup in the short term.

Toughness is nice for a team that clearly lacks it, but they are constantly trying to add these types of players and neglecting talent.

Buffalo's off-seasons are like a game of whack-a-mole.  Fixing last year's issues without anticipating what they'll be faced with the following season.

That's why assuming Kulich or another younger player will score enough to off-set this move is he's still mostly an unknown.  And for a team that needs to make the playoffs or others will demand trades, that's not enough.  Almost every single time we believe they'll get production from a young player it doesn't work.    

I can see them better defensively and struggling to score without a real move this off-season.  And given who the GM and owner are, I'm not holding my breath.

[JP51]

2 minutes ago, eman said:

I am super doubtful Marner even considers Buffalo. I think It is high up on his no movement clause. Money won't be enough as he has a boatload already and will get a boatload more wherever he lands. (personally, I would love to see Marner here but it isn't happening)

I would love that to but to be real Marner has the likelihood of considering us as Angelina Jolie has the likelihood of considering me no matter how much money is offered...  LOL... we just dumped a future 40 goal scorer for a middling player and a prospect... because no real player will come here... likely the same will happen with Byram and we will have gotten appreciably worse as a team... why would Mariner to come to a current bottom feeder thats digging deeper... with a FO office and owner who are absolutely incompetent... 

[Carmel Corn]

i can't believe I'm going to say this, but I'm not hating this trade.  If both players are a better fit for a more physical and defensive game, then I've been wanting more of these types of players.  If Kesselring can play with Power and be the partner he's been lacking thus far, then great....it also makes for a stronger right side D corps overall.  If Doan can bring more physicality than others that Adams missed on, then I like it.  

More moves can be made to replace JJP's goal production, plus who knows....maybe Quinn might actually show up this year.  Use the money saved on JJP's deal to go after another center, either by trade or I would like to see them go after Tavares.

[LGR4GM]

5 minutes ago, JP51 said:

I would love that to but to be real Marner has the likelihood of considering us as Angelina Jolie has the likelihood of considering me no matter how much money is offered...  LOL... we just dumped a future 40 goal scorer for a middling player and a prospect... because no real player will come here... likely the same will happen with Byram and we will have gotten appreciably worse as a team... why would Mariner to come to a current bottom feeder thats digging deeper... with a FO office and owner who are absolutely incompetent... 

I don't get anyone calling Doan a prospect. He's an nhl player. 

[Night Train]

Glad they actually received useful players instead of picks. They obviously weren't going to pay him what he got.

 Peterka doesn't play D and did have long stretches of nothing. Liked him some but other guys like Tuch are far more important to keep.  

I expect more to come and must see the training camp lineup before grading this team. 

[Archie Lee]

I’m sure that analytics will be the narrative here (from the Sabres). Peterka’s underlying numbers raise questions and fears of regression, while Kesserling’s and Doan’s suggest untapped promise and/or value that does not show up on the stat sheet. My concern is that we are trying to import a culture change by bringing in young players from what is clearly a culture of accountability and structure. These players just played a short time for Tourigny who, to me, is the anti-Ruff. It reminds me a bit of how Malenstyn and Aubé-Kubel were going to be 4th line demons because they did ok playing in a tough match-up role with Washington.  Lindy Ruff is not Spencer Carberry or Andre Tourigny.  Culture, commitment, accountability, and structure, don’t start with your 25 year old 2nd pairing D or your 23 year old 3rd line winger.  Just my view, but we are swapping out people at the wrong end of the culture issue.

 

 

9 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

What's interesting is that McLeod for Savoie was laughed at by everyone... accept analytics Twitter. 

The Cozens trade was laughed at by everyone... accept analytics Twitter. 

This trade... same thing. 

And yet, 79 points. 

[bob_sauve28]

9 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Still believe the return should've been greater.  Except in very limited cases, the reason for the Sabres making him available really shouldn't factor in for what the return should be.

Unless its an addition by subtraction situation. If he was part of the problem, its just good he is gone. The players they got back look like solid NHL players

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, Archie Lee said:

And yet, 79 points. 

How many points did they get with jj Peterka on the team last year?

Also, and we could get into his injury stuff, but Norris didn't play. 

[Brawndo]

Utah has three second round picks in 2026, they couldn’t have gotten the lowest one of them to replace theirs from the Norris-JBD Trade? 

[JohnC]

3 minutes ago, SabresVet said:

Toughness is nice for a team that clearly lacks it, but they are constantly trying to add these types of players and neglecting talent.

Buffalo's off-seasons are like a game of whack-a-mole.  Fixing last year's issues without anticipating what they'll be faced with the following season.

That's why assuming Kulich or another younger player will score enough to off-set this move is he's still mostly an unknown.  And for a team that needs to make the playoffs or others will demand trades, that's not enough.  Almost every single time we believe they'll get production from a young player it doesn't work.    

I can see them better defensively and struggling to score without a real move this off-season.  And given who the GM and owner are, I'm not holding my breath.

Scoring isn't the issue that plagued this team last year. It was the lack of defending from the blueline and forward units. This trade should help in that area.I expect Quinn to have an uptick year. And also, Kulich should be more productive after getting a lot of playing time last year. There has to be a better balance between both sides of the puck. And from that perspective, this deal partially addresses that imbalance. 

Based on his immediate signing with Utah, one can fairly assume that he didn't want to be here. From that context, this was a reasonable deal. It's certainly not a blockbuster deal but it is a deal that better balances out the roster from an offensive/defensive ratio.