In late November, this column touched on the improvements made by Buffalo Sabres forward JJ Peterka. He finished his second full season with 28 goals, 22 assists, and 226 shots so let’s look at his progression as a player, his breakout campaign, the team around him, and what fantasy managers can hope for in 2024-25 and beyond. 

Selected 34th overall in 2020, Peterka was highly praised in the Elite Prospects Draft Guide for both his tenacity in board battles and his powerful skating. There were issues with his skating mechanics, but his play-scanning and puck support showed the cerebral side that could help overcome any mechanical deficits. 

Peterka didn’t have a hugely productive rookie season with 12 goals and 20 assists in 77 games, but he had a higher 5-on-5 shot rate than Jack Quinn, Sha