With how emphatic Buffalo Sabres General Manager Kevyn Adams sounded about winger JJ Peterka’s future in his media availability earlier on Wednesday, you knew it was a matter of time before the forward was shipped out.

Trade Details

That trade and trade partner were confirmed just before midnight when news broke that the 23-year-old was going to the Utah Mammoth, with right-handed defenseman Michael Kesselring and young two-way forward Josh Doan (son of Shane Doan) coming back the other way. Kesselring has one more year on his current contract at just $1.4m AAV, while Doan is entering the last year of his entry level deal at $925k AAV.

Peterka was set to become a restricted free agent in less than a week, but as part of the trade has agreed to a 5-year contract extension worth $7.7 million with the Mammoth. While he had a big season finishing at nearly a point-per-game, you have to remember that was on a 14.7% 5v5 on-ice shooting percentage (highest ever recorded), and there will be quite a bit of regression there. The German national is a great rushing winger but his defensive game left a lot to be desired and for a Sabres side that will need to play better overall team defense, his days in Buffalo were certainly numbered.

We’ll have more analysis in the coming days, but at first sight this does feel like a bit of an underpay for the Sabres, with Kesselring more of a second-pairing defenseman and Doan a bottom-six forward. The Sabres will save big on the cap however, nearly $2.5 million, which hopefully can be put to good use in the coming weeks.

Like most other GMKA trades, this one is a polarizing trade. Those who have had enough of him will see this as the latest last straw, while those who want to maintain perspective will see that there is opportunity here.

Scouting Reports

Apr 14, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Utah Hockey Club defenseman Michael Kesselring (7) shoots against the Nashville Predators during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Michael Kesselring – 25, RHD, 6’5″, 220lbs (1yr left on current contract at $1.4m AAV then RFA)

Drafted in 2018 by the Edmonton Oilers 164th overall, the 6th round 9th pick defenseman was traded to Arizona with a 3rd-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft for Nick Bjugstad and Cam Dineen at the trade deadline in March 2023. The big-bodied defenseman plays with a bit of a nasty edge, and completed just his third season in the NHL last year with a total statline of 156 games played, 12 goals, 41 assists and a +14.

In the 2024-25 season he played top four minutes, featuring in all 82 games for Utah’s debut campaign ending up with 7 goals and 22 assists (1G, 2A on the PP) including one against the Sabres. Kesselring logged 17:41 per night, 3.59 hits/60 and 2.77 blocks/60. None of those are outstanding numbers, but also at the same time they’re solid for a young cost-controlled defenseman looking to grow.

Kesselring’s 5v5 CF% was the best amongst the Utah defensemen at 53.91%, even ahead of his defensive partner Mikhail Sergachev, and he maintained that when moved to the second pair with Juuso Välimäki. He did benefit from a 43% neutral zone start percentage, but almost equally split the defensive and offensive zone starts at about 28% each.

The edge in the Northeastern University product showed up often last season, with his 87 penalty minutes leading all Utah dmen (Dahlin was highest on the Sabres with 54). Of those, 21 were minors, 5 were majors and 2 were misconduct penalties.

We’ll tell the rest of the details on Kesselring with some stat graphics.

Mar 16, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Utah Hockey Club forward Josh Doan (91) handles the puck against the Vancouver Canucks in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Josh Doan – 23, RW, 6’2″, 198lbs (1yr left in ELC)

If there was a player that embodied the Phoenix Coyotes, it was Shane Doan. His son Josh as a result was as Arizona as they come, having started his career in that state in the juniors, spending two years away in the USHL before returning to elite party school Arizona State University. He was then drafted 37th overall by Arizona in 2021 and went to Utah when the franchise moved last season.

A solid two-way forward who played third line minutes for Utah, the right-handed forward logged 13:31 a night last season with 3.91 hits/60. He had 7 goals and 12 assists (3PPG, 1 PPA) in 51 games. That was only his second season in the top tier, and he has a total of 62 games played in the NHL, with 12 goals, 16 assists and a +4.

He definitely is the kind of player that makes things happen on the ice however, with his 58.01% CF% leading all forwards to have played significant minutes (Zach Benson led all Sabres forwards with a 55.73%).