AFTER SUCCESSFUL ROOKIE SEASON, PETERKA HAS HIS SIGHTS ON NHL

Jul 15, 2022

By Suzie Cool

 

Prior to last season, JJ Peterka never experienced professional hockey in North America after being selected in the second round, 34^th overall, of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres.

 

Fast forward months later and we all know how that turned out. Now, he gets the chance to experience his first development camp, an annual event designed to introduce the NHL style of play to the top prospects in the organization.

 

It's actually the first time in three years the Sabres’ top prospects gathered in Buffalo for the camp, which hasn’t been held since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Needless to say, Peterka was excited for the opportunity to get back on the ice in an informal setting, considering his last time was seeing Rochester’s playoff run come up short back in May.

“It's my first development camp,” started Peterka when asked how this week has been going for the AHL’s top scoring rookie in 2021-22. “So, I'm really happy to be here and it's nice meeting all the guys here and we're just having fun.”

 

Peterka is coming off an incredible rookie campaign in Rochester that earned him a nod to the American Hockey League’s All-Rookie Team at the conclusion of the 2021-22 regular season. In 70 games, Peterka went on to register 68 points on 28 goals and 40 assists, really ramping up his play in the latter half of the year.

 

In the postseason, Peterka reached a new level, tying for the team lead with 12 points (7+5) in 10 playoff appearances during a memorable playoff run. His postseason production also included a hat trick in Game 2 of the North Division Semifinals against the Utica Comets on May 14.

 

The young forward was so dynamic during the Amerks playoff push that assistant coach Michael Peca even admitted that Peterka probably has no idea just how good he can even be.

 

“He has no idea how good he can be, which is scary,” said Peca. “I mean, it's just the blend of the power and speed and the skill set with his hands and his shot and his ability to play in a physical game. He can play in any environment, and he can dominate in any environment,” raved Peca when asked what it was like to coach Peterka through his first professional season.

 

However, even though Peterka’s 2021-22 season ended on a high note it doesn’t mean that it started out that way.

 

“I think not being that nervous as I was last year,” explained Peterka when asked how last year helped prepare him for the season to come. “Everything was new for me here. So, I think one year later, I will be much more comfortable here.”

 

 

Peterka only registered four goals through his first 23 games in Rochester, but a two-game stint with the Sabres against the Islanders and Devils in late December paved way for a second-half offensive surge at the turn of the new year. The taste of the NHL, albeit brief, fully proved it was enough to fuel his mentality and work ethic for the rest of the 2021-22 campaign.

 

“I think I saw what the National Hockey League is all about,” explained Peterka when asked about his small taste of the NHL last season. “I think my game really grew after that.”

 

Additionally, Peca mentioned how Peterka stuck with the adversity he faced at the beginning of the year and how it helped lead him to a rookie season that ended with him leading all rookies in goals and points.

 

 

“It’s just a matter of sticking with it and being patient early in his journey because it's going to be easy to get frustrated. A lot of guys, I mean, 98% of guys that start their initial career are going to face some adversity and some challenges. So, it'll be important for him to get through that.”

 

Now, he has his sights on making Buffalo’s roster in the fall alongside reigning AHL Rookie of the Year Jack Quinn. Heading into next season, there’s no doubt that Peterka will face more adversity before finding that full-time spot at the top. However, there’s still a lot more summer with many more opportunities for the young forward to put in the work and try and make that final roster.

 

“We always want to get better every day and, of course, our dream is to play in National Hockey League. It's a long summer still and we'll work out as hard as we can to make the roster.”

 

Development Camp seems to be just the beginning of that offseason work that’s going to propel Peterka to the top come September.