BUFFALO, N.Y. — On Wednesday, the Buffalo Sabres had the seventh pick of the second round in Day 2 of the NHL Draft, but made a trade with San Jose to move up to pick 34th to take right wing JJ Peterka.
Sabres' general manager Kevyn Adams gave up the 38th and 100th pick this year to get him.
Many thought Peterka would go in the first round, so Adams and his staff didn’t think he would last until 38. Peterka made an impression at the World Junior Tournament for Germany when he played on a line with first round picks Tim Stutzle and Lukas Reichel. Peterka had four goals and six points in seven games.
Peterka is a guy that will drive the net to score goals and he has a good shot. One scout is quoted as saying Peterka is powerful and speedy. Many feel he has to work on his game without the puck. As a second-round pick, he projects to be a middle-of-the-lineup guy.
The Sabres had a long wait for their next pick, which was in the fifth round. The team didn’t go far, taking Matteo Costantini from the Jr. Sabres. The center from St. Catharines scored 36 goals and 32 assists in 50 games. He was the No. 1 prospect in the OJHL.
Nick Tuzzolino calls him a smart two-way center who plays a simple game. He has a great stick and is a fluid skater.
Constantini is committed to North Dakota next fall. He’s supposed to play with Princeton of the BCHL this season.
With their first pick in the seventh round, the Sabres took right-handed defenseman Albert Lyckasen. This is a puck-moving defenseman who quarterbacks the power play. He played in Sweden last season for Linkoping HCJ20 scoring 14 goals and 22 assists in 43 games.
Buffalo had the second-to-last pick of the draft thanks to the trade that sent Taylor Fedun to Dallas. With that pick Buffalo selected center Jakub Konecny. Last season he played for HC Sparta Praha U20 team. In 40 overall games Konecny scored 14 goals and 17 assists. This season he’s played nine games and has 13 points.
On Wednesday, the Sabres tendered qualifying offers to six restricted free agents, but the big news was one of the players that didn’t receive one.
Winger Dominik Kahun, who was acquired late last season from the Pittsburgh Penguins, wasn’t qualified. The Sabres still have until noon on Friday to negotiate with him before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Kahun’s agent, Jiri Hamal, told the Associated Press that negotiations will continue with the Sabres on Thursday and that Buffalo is a good situation for Kahun to be in.
Thanks to a flat salary cap, teams don’t want to wind up in arbitration with players, and had they qualified Kahun, he would’ve chosen arbitration.
In six games with the Sabres, Kahun had two goals and two assists for four points. In 56 overall games, Kahun scored 12 goals and 31 points.
The six that were qualified were Brandon Montour, Casey Mittelstadt, Victor Olofsson, Sam Reinhart, Linus Ullmark and Lawrence Pilut. Pilut is playing on a two-year deal in the KHL, but by qualifying him, the Sabres keep his rights for three years.
Remi Elie also wasn’t qualified in Rochester.
In signing news, goaltender Jonas Johansson inked a one-year, $700,000 deal. Last season the 25-year-old was 1-3-1 for Buffalo with a 2.94 goals against and .894 save percentage.
There have been some key trades on Day 2. Pittsburgh traded Stanley Cup winning goalie Matt Murray to Ottawa for a 2020 second round pick and prospect Jonathan Gruden.
Nashville sent Nick Bonino and picks 37 and 70 to Minnesota for Luke Kunin and pick 101.
