JJ Peterka Is a Solution to the Bruins’ Woeful Depth – The Hockey Writers – Boston Bruins

During the summer, the Boston Bruins added a legitimate top-six forward in JJ Peterka from the Utah Mammoth.

The cost of the trade was hefty, as the Bruins sent two first-round picks (23rd overall in 2026) and the Florida Panthers’ first-round pick in 2028. Beginning his career in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres during the 2022-23 season, he recorded 32 points in 77 games. While not a true showing of his potential, his ceiling hadn’t been reached yet.

2024-25: Buffalo Sabres

In 2024-25 as a Sabre, Peterka recorded 68 points (27 goals, 41 assists) in 77 games. In Buffalo, we all saw what he could do alongside talent like Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch. The trio played 23 games together that season.

They were one of the better lines on the ice, with a 55.90 Corsi for percentage and a 56.28 expected goals-for percentage. They were on the ice for 11 goals-for and eight goals-against per Natural Stat Trick.

Proof that when he arrives in Boston, he will need to be placed on a line with playmakers and scorers like himself.

2025-26: Utah Mammoth

Before the start of the 2025-26 season, the Sabres traded Peterka to the Mammoth for Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring. He experienced a regression in his new surroundings; in 82 games, he recorded 47 points (25 goals, 22 assists).

21 of those 82 games were spent with Logan Cooley at center, with Dylan Guenther on the right wing. This trio wasn’t as capable of maintaining puck possession, with a 50.93 CF% and a diminished xGF% of 46.92.

Peterka was just three goals shy of the career-high 28 that he scored in 2023-24. Though his first and only season as a Mammoth forward wasn’t a failure, he has some room for growth in Boston.

Where JJ Peterka Can Thrive

The Bruins added a legitimate top-six threat in the German-born forward selected 34th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft.

He’s played 320 games during his NHL career, split between the Sabres and Mammoth; he recorded 197 points (92 goals, 105 assists) in that time, and 35 of those were on the power play (14 goals, 21 assists).

“He’s competitive,” Bonvie said of Peterka. “He’s shutting down and closing gaps. He’s got some length. He’s got some bite on the back end, which we feel like we can use. It’s going to make us a hard out in terms of playing against really good teams and making it hard on their best players. We felt there was a little bit of a need and a spot there for him. He’s going to have to come in and continue to elevate his game. But we feel he can do that” (from ‘Bruins assistant GM Dennis Bonvie on JJ Peterka trade, upside-focused pro scouting approach‘ The Athletic, Fluto Shinzawa, 9/1/26).

Unlike cramming forwards into a role that doesn’t fit them, as they’ve done in the past with other prospects, it seems that the Bruins have found a true two-way forward who can contribute in all three zones.

Put Peterka on a Line With Pavel Zacha or Fraser Minten

Peterka is poised to thrive under head coach Marco Sturm, who is known for developing young talent. This will be his sixth season in the league, and with a forward group that needs depth, they need all of Peterka’s help they can get.

Daily Faceoff has him projected on the first line and the second power-play unit. Those projections could prove accurate depending on the kind of training camp Peterka completes. He’ll be competing with Casey Mittelstadt and James Hagens for a spot in the top-six.

With a cap hit of $7.7 million, the Bruins will count on him to play top-line minutes while providing consistency and adding another 20-plus goal season to his career totals in 2026-27.