Peterka looking forward to challenge with Utah following trade

JJ Peterka got a glimpse of what the Utah Mammoth were about last season, their first in the NHL, when he and the Buffalo Sabres played them in Salt Lake City on March 20.

Now the forward is looking to be part of Utah's rise to prominence.

"When you look at the roster, how many young players that are there who are already so good, timeline-wise for me, it's going to be a perfect fit," Peterka said on Friday. "Growing together with those guys and hopefully winning a lot of games."

Peterka was acquired by Utah from the Buffalo Sabres for defenseman Michael Kesselring and forward Josh Doan on June 26. The 23-year-old restricted free agent signed a five-year, $38.5 million contract ($7.7 million average annual value) with the Mammoth the same day.

Utah was established as a new NHL franchise on April 18, 2024, when it purchased the hockey assets of the Arizona Coyotes. In its first season, Utah went 38-31-13 and finished sixth in the Central Division, seven points out of a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Peterka said he's attracted to Utah with "just how committed the team is to win.

"The best example is probably their new practice facility (which is expected to open Sept. 1). That also excites me the most, I would say," he said. "I played there (in Utah) once, just the atmosphere was great, fans felt so tight and close to the ice, so it's going to be really exciting."

Utah's young talent was a big part of its production last season. Center Logan Cooley, 21, had 65 points (25 goals, 40 assists) in 75 games, second to captain Clayton Keller with 90 points (30 goals, 60 assists) in 81 games. Forward Dylan Guenther, 22, was fourth on the Mammoth with 60 points (27 goals, 33 assists) in 70 games. Peterka is impressed with what they can do.

"Just the skill," Peterka said of Cooley and Guenther. "I think how much skill they have, how easily they beat guys 1-on-1, 1-on-2 and the plays they make. Even against us last year, it was pretty special and pretty cool to see."

The No. 34 pick by the Sabres in the 2020 NHL Draft, Peterka has 150 points (67 goals, 83 assists) in 238 career games with Buffalo. He had a career-high 68 points (27 goals, 41 assists) in 77 games last season.

"He has to come in and get acclimated to Utah and learn the systems but if you look at his points last year, he's roughly around what Cooley was," Mammoth general manager Bill Armstrong said on June 26. "So, he's got an opportunity to come in and have an impact on our top two lines. I think it's something that he can grow into.

"He'll take baby steps in getting here and learning to play our system and getting used to Utah and everything about it, and his new teammates. But he wants to win and he's a competitor."

The Mammoth made other moves in free agency after trading for and signing Peterka. On July 1, they signed defenseman Nate Schmidt to a three-year, $10.5 million contract ($3.5 million AAV), forward Brandon Tanev to a three-year, $7.5 million contract ($2.5 million AAV) and goalie Vitek Vanecek to a one-year, $1.5 million contract. Schmidt and Vanecek won the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in June, with Schmidt having 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in 23 playoff games.

"They have experience, and I can still learn a lot from them," Peterka said of the free agent signings. "To see [Utah] make a lot of moves, try to get more players in, it's cool and it just shows they want to win."

Peterka is ready to get going and is optimistic about what the Mammoth can do.

"(Signing for five seasons), that just shows how committed I am to Utah, how excited I am and how much I believe in that group and what they have going and what they're building there. that's why I decided to do that," he said. "I'm just super excited to meet the guys and get things going."