Season in Review | JJ Peterka

Every day through early May, Sabres.com will be recapping each player’s performance with all the numbers, highlights, quotations and content that tell the story of their 2024-25 season.

Today, we look back on JJ Peterka’s career-best season.

JJ Peterka, LW

77 GP | 27 G | 41 A | 68 P | -1

• Read previous Season in Review profiles here

Season at a glance

Peterka evolved as a playmaker during his third NHL season, shattering his previous career-high totals with 41 assists and 68 points. His average ice time of 18:11 was nearly two minutes higher than his previous best.

His goal scoring remained intact, too. Peterka scored 27 goals, third on the Sabres and one shy of his 82-game total from 2023-24.

The 23-year-old spoke after the season about where he felt he had grown.

“I think in all aspects,” he said. “Just gaining more experience over the whole season. Trusting my game more and more was the main part. I think just every aspect I was growing as a player.”

Number to know: 36

Peterka tied with Rasmus Dahlin for the team lead with 36 points in his last 33 games beginning Jan. 21.

He had nine multi-point games within that stretch, including the most productive performance of his career in a win over Boston on Jan. 28. That night, he had a plus-6 rating, four points and his first career hat trick.

Watch this

They said it

Peterka on playing for Lindy Ruff: “First of all, it was exciting, obviously when you look at his history, what he's done in this league. I think the way he wanted us to play is just compete. I think that's a thing we learned pretty late in the season when we actually started (playing) really good hockey: When everybody is buying in on the compete part, we can be a much better hockey team.”

End-of-season press conference

What’s next

Peterka is scheduled to become a restricted free agent for the first time this summer and, with his contract status up in the air, will forgo the IIHF World Championship.

Asked after the season about his preference regarding the term of his next deal, Peterka said his focus is solely on training back home in Germany.

“I have my agent taking care of this,” he said. “I worry about having a good offseason. I’m excited to be in Munich this summer again. I work hard and I fully trust him to handle all that stuff. I stay away from that.”

Peterka will be a top candidate to represent Germany at the Winter Olympics next February.