On Peterka, trade perceptions and draft stuff
The Sabres sending J-J Peterka to Utah may not be as ugly as it looks in a headline.
On its face, the Buffalo Sabres trading J-J Peterka to Utah for defenseman Michael Kesselring and forward Josh Doan looks rough, but digging into the weeds of everything about it reveals a lot more.
The Sabres had other needs to fulfill and Peterka was ready for a change. On the other hand, Buffalo’s long need to find a right-shot defenseman to (ideally) play alongside Owen Power was fulfilled.
“I can skate with them, and I think I move the puck pretty well, but also bring that defensive side, be reliable for one of those two guys hopefully, and kind of give them a ‘steady Eddie’ partner who defensively plays hard, boxes out and can get them the puck and let them play their game,” Kesselring said.
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