Most of the recent rumors regarding the Buffalo Sabres focused on Bowen Bryam, with recent reports claiming they’re gauging the 23-year-old RFA defenseman’s value in the trade market.
Some believe the Sabres would put the cap savings from shipping out Byram to re-sign forwards like JJ Peterka.
However, recent reports suggest the Sabres could face some difficulty signing Peterka. The 23-year-old right winger is completing his entry-level contract and lacks arbitration rights.
Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli has Peterka atop his latest NHL Trade Targets Board. He claims multiple teams made significant offers to the Sabres for Peterka at the trade deadline, but GM Kevyn Adams considers him part of his club’s core. However, Seravalli believes they have less of a choice with the threat of an offer sheet when free agency begins on July 1.
Chris Johnston of The Athletic includes Peterka among his list of off-season trade candidates and also mentioned the possibility he receives an offer sheet if unsigned on July 1. Johnston also noted that Adams considers Peterka to be among his young core, but it’s unclear if the player will make that commitment to the Sabres.
The offer sheet threat could be overblown because the Sabres have over $23 million in cap space this summer. That’s more than enough to match an offer from a rival club, especially if they trade Byram.
If Peterka isn’t willing to sign a long-term deal, it could change their mind about moving Byram. However, Adam Proteau believes moving on from a rising star like Peterka could be disastrous for the Sabres.
Meanwhile, Seravalli’s report last week that Jonathan Marchessault might welcome a trade from the Nashville Predators raised conjecture over possible landing spots for the 34-year-old right winger. The Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils were mentioned, along with a reunion with his former club, the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Tennessean’s Alex Daugherty examined what a Marchessault trade might look like, pointing out Marchessault’s contract is a significant stumbling block. He’s signed through 2028-29 with an average annual value of $5.5 million. Daugherty indicated Marchessault has a full no-movement clause, but if the Predators approach him about a trade, he can submit a 15-team no-trade list.
If the Predators find a suitable trade partner for Marchessault, Daugherty doubts they’ll get much of a return. He speculates it would be a low draft pick or low-range prospect at best, plus they might have to add a draft pick with Marchessault to make the deal work.
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