Sabres Rumors: Significant Development on JJ Peterka Offer Sheet Front

When talks turn to the possibility of a big uptick in offer sheets this summer, one of the first names to draw attention is JJ Peterka of the Buffalo Sabres. We're hearing now of a significant development on that front.

After rumors emerged that Peterka might be tiring of the situation in Buffalo and eventually find his way out of town, we heard of one team that had him as a "prime target" for an offer sheet.

But according to Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News, GM Kevyn Adams has "no intention" of letting Peterka go, and has plans to sign him before July 1 to fend off even the possibility of an offer sheet.

In their midseason projections, AFP Analytics had Peterka being in line for a six-year deal worth $6.6 million AAV. His tremendous second half of the season, however, might bump that number up. The 23-year-old, who Lysowski says is now considered one of the Sabres’ “core, young guys”, has recorded 16 goals and 40 points in the last 39 games going into the team's final two games of the season.

He has a career-high 66 points, and his 26 goals is a legitimate follow-up to last season's 28, while he's played a career-high 18:13 per night.

Peterka will be a restricted free agent this summer, but he does not hold arbitration rights, giving the Sabres the upper hand — unless the player decides to hold off on re-signing and hope that a massive offer sheet comes his way.

But even then, Buffalo will have over $30 million in cap space, more than enough to match any offer. And from the way Lysowski makes it sound, they will.

Peterka was a second-round pick of the Sabres in the 2020 NHL Draft (34th overall), and has 66 goals and 148 points in 236 games in his three full seasons.