Peterka Joins Bruins
Boston Bruins Acquire Forward JJ Peterka from Utah Mammoth for Two First-Round Picks
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Key Points
1
Peterka went scoreless in six playoff games for Utah in the series against the Vegas Golden Knights.
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In his 82-game season with Utah, Peterka totaled 25 goals, 22 assists for 47 points, adding a plus-6 rating.
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The 2028 first-round pick Boston sent to Utah is a Florida Panthers asset, tied to the Brad Marchand trade, and is top-10 protected.
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Peterka has career totals of 92 goals and 197 points in 320 NHL games (spanning Buffalo and Utah).
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The trade occurred just moments before the start of the 2026 NHL Draft.
Moments before the 2026 NHL Draft began, the Boston Bruins made a bold move to reopen their championship window. They acquired 24-year-old German winger JJ Peterka from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for the 23rd overall pick in 2026 and a top-10 protected 2028 first-rounder, according to Pro Hockey Rumors.
Peterka, who posted 25 goals and 47 points in 82 games this past season, joins Boston on a contract with four years remaining at $7.7 million per year. Bruins GM Don Sweeney said the team "had to be in the marketplace for speed and skill," per NHL.com.
Two First-Rounders and a Long Paper Trail
The cost was steep. Boston gave up two first-round picks: the No. 23 overall selection this year and a 2028 first-rounder originally tied to the Florida Panthers. That Florida pick came to Boston from the Brad Marchand trade in March 2025, according to CBS News. Florida later reached the third round of the playoffs, which triggered the pick to upgrade from a second-rounder to a first-rounder.
The 2028 pick is top-10 protected. If Florida's pick lands in the top 10 that year, Boston would instead send its own unprotected 2029 first-rounder to Utah. Sweeney called Peterka a player who "gives us another look on the elbow in a power-play situation," per NHL.com.
Peterka's Rise, a Playoff Blank, and His New Role in Boston
Peterka, drafted 34th overall by Buffalo in 2020, put up a career-high 68 points in his final season with the Sabres. He moved to Utah last June alongside a five-year, $38.5 million deal. This past season, he posted 25 goals and a plus-6 rating over 82 games, according to TSN.
His defense also improved sharply. His even-strength goals-against on the ice dropped from 77 to 48 in a single year. Still, Peterka went scoreless in six playoff games against the Vegas Golden Knights — a fact Boston fans are keeping a close eye on. The Bruins are hoping he clicks alongside David Pastrnak and top prospect James Hagens, per The Hockey News.
Utah Turns One Trade Into a Goaltender and Future Capital
Utah did not sit still after the deal. The Mammoth flipped the 23rd overall pick they received from Boston to the Detroit Red Wings for goaltender Sebastian Cossa, per NHL.com. Utah GM Bill Armstrong said acquiring two first-rounders for Peterka was "a great value" — one pick landed Cossa, and the protected 2028 pick gives the team future flexibility.
The Mammoth also retained Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring — the players they gave up to get Peterka from Buffalo in 2025. Both outscored Peterka this past season. Utah now holds a young core, a new franchise goaltender, and draft capital heading into 2028, according to TSN.
Boston Bets Big With Cap Space and Competitive Window
Peterka's $7.7 million cap hit takes up roughly 7.4% of Boston's available cap room. That likely ends the team's pursuit of other veteran wingers this offseason. Analyst Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub argued that while two first-rounders is a "risky" price, the Bruins' core of Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman cannot wait three years for a mid-first-round pick to develop.
Some local media frame this as Sweeney turning the aging Marchand into a 24-year-old top-six winger without a full rebuild. Peterka has 92 goals and 197 points across 320 NHL games. He brings elite shot quality and straight-line speed — exactly what Boston lacked in its playoff exit this spring, per the Boston Sports Journal.
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