Peterka thriving with Mammoth after trade from Sabres

JJ Peterka had a choice to make growing up as an elite two-sport athlete in Munich, Germany.

Fortunately for the Utah Mammoth, the 23-year-old forward pursued a professional hockey career.

"I played both soccer and hockey growing up and I always had more fun playing hockey," Peterka told NHL.com. "That's a decision I had to make because it became too much playing both. I think I was 11 years old or so, and I always had a lot of fun at both sports, but hockey was the main one."

Peterka believes he could have played professional soccer had he chosen that path.

"I believe in myself so I would say so," he said.

Soccer's loss is the NHL's gain as Peterka is developing into a premier offensive player.

Acquired by Utah in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres for forward Josh Doan and defenseman Michael Kesselring on June 26, Peterka signed a five-year contract the same day. He has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 12 games this season, helping Utah get off to an 8-4-0 start.

"I think it's credit to the group for welcoming me so well; it felt like home right away," Peterka said. "We're having a lot of fun and I think that's the key to our success, is supporting each other on and off the ice and everywhere."

Prior to playing in the NHL, Peterka spent two seasons with his hometown Munich EHC in the German Elite League, and 12 games with Salzburg EC in Austria. He was selected by Buffalo in the second round (No. 34) of the 2020 NHL Draft.

Peterka, who played three full seasons with the Sabres, will return to Buffalo when the Mammoth visit the Sabres on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; Utah16, MSG-B).

He had 68 points (27 goals, 41 assists) in 77 games with Buffalo last season, and is currently finding success playing left wing on a line with center Logan Cooley and right wing Dylan Guenther.

"He's a super skilled player, I think all three of us as a line, we like to play fast," Cooley said. "He's a guy that obviously can move and I think the more we're using our speed, it's tough to match. He's been great, he plays the game the right way, is super skilled, he can score, he can make plays and we're jelling well right now."

In Peterka, the Mammoth knew they were adding a highly-skilled player to a young, talented core.

Utah got off to a strong start this season paced by a seven-game winning streak, which came to an end in a 6-3 loss at the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 28.

"I didn't know him personally before he got here, but I did as a player a little bit," Cooley said. "We weren't in the same division (as Buffalo), so you don't see them as much. But overall, he's a shooter and likes to shoot the puck and obviously his shot is unbelievable. He's a great guy, great to be around and it's nice when things are jelling well."

So far, it's been a seamless transition for Peterka from Buffalo, where he had 150 points (67 goals, 83 assists) in 238 games.

"He brings speed, skill and chemistry to our team," Mammoth coach Andre Tourigny said. "If you look at our four lines, they have an identity, they have a way to play, that's the way we wanted it. We have a little bit of everything throughout the lineup and JJ with his linemates bring a lot of speed. They move the puck really well and they see each other on the ice."

Tourigny said Peterka is making strides on both ends of the ice and is developing into a strong two-way player.

"You have to give him a lot of credit. We've worked a lot with him on his play without the puck and away from the puck and he's improved a lot," Tourigny said. "He's receptive to coaching. From his battle level to his details defensively and getting on the right side of the puck, you look at the way he strips pucks tracking back, he's really engaged."

While not on the preliminary Germany roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 in February, Peterka is expected to represent his country, where he will get an opportunity to play alongside Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl.

The two have never been part of the same German national team.

"I've played against him six or seven times and those matchups are always pretty fun," Peterka said. "We for some reason missed each other with the national team. When he played at the Worlds, I didn't play and it was the same thing the other way around. But it's going to be awesome at the Olympics, having all the guys at once together and sharing the ice with them. That's going to be awesome."

Draisaitl, along with defenseman Moritz Seider of the Detroit Red Wings, goalie Philipp Grubauer of the Seattle Kraken, and forwards Lukas Reichel of the Vancouver Canucks, Nico Sturm of the Minnesota Wild and Tim Stutzle of the Ottawa Senators, were named to Germany's preliminary Olympic roster.

Germany is in a group with the United States, Latvia and Denmark and opens the 12-team tournament against Denmark on Feb. 12.

"I know him a little bit," Draisaitl said of Peterka. "I never had the chance to play with him, I'm looking forward to hopefully doing that in February (at the Olympics) with him. He's a super skilled kid and he's doing pretty well in Utah."