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Buffalo Sabres Star Emerges as Perfect Opportunity to Add Elite Winger for Sidney Crosby
The Pittsburgh Penguins will have a prime chance to extend an offer sheet to Sabres forward JJ Peterka, a player who would pair nicely alongside Sidney Crosby.
Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas has already made a major change to the organisation with the dismissal of coach Mike Sullivan after nearly 10 years on the job.
The Penguins are stuck in a rut, having missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the last 3 years running, marking the longest drought of captain and team icon Sidney Crosby's NHL career.
Dubas has already secured Crosby under contract for another 2 years with his customary AAV (average annual value) of $8.7 million, an unbelievably bargain compared to what he could be making elsewhere.
Pittsburgh, officially in summer mode, has the chance to be one of the rare clubs to extend an offer sheet to a pending restricted free agent forward that would pair nicely with Crosby.
Buffalo Sabres forward JJ Peterka is set to become an RFA, and the Penguins would be wise to consider extending an offer sheet his way.
The Penguins were already confirmed to have interest in Peterka, according to comments made by NHL analyst Elliotte Friedman back in March, with the Trade Deadline approaching.
I've heard Pittsburgh has asked about some of Buffalo's young players. Like Peterka, that's a big price, if it ever happens...But that guy's got Pittsburgh written all over him.
I think they've asked Buffalo periodically this year about some of their younger guys, AHL guys that look like they're going to be players. I continue to think that's what they're looking at.
Peterka had 68 points (27G, 41A) for the Sabres, who once again missed the playoffs and currently own the NHL's longest playoff drought.
He was taken 34th overall by the Sabres in the 2020 NHL Draft.
While offer sheets are rare in the NHL these days, the St. Louis Blues capitalised last summer on a pair of Edmonton Oilers RFAs in Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway, both of whom accepted; the Oilers decided against matching the offers, making them members of the Blues.
| POLL | ||
MAI 25 | 81 ANSWERS Buffalo Sabres Star Emerges as Perfect Opportunity to Add Elite Winger for Sidney Crosby Do you want to see the Penguins give an offer sheet to Sabres RFA forward JJ Peterka? | ||
| Yes | 55 | 67.9 % |
| No | 26 | 32.1 % |
| List of polls | ||