JJ Peterka

Peterka showcased plenty of potential in 2023-24 by scoring 28 goals and recording 50 points in 82 games. He also jumped from 1.62 shots per game in 2022-23 to 2.76. He only picked up three goals and four assists on the power play, which should improve in the upcoming campaign. The buyout of Jeff Skinner during the offseason will open opportunities for others, and Peterka is a prime candidate to fill the void on the top line and first power-play unit. The 22-year-old Peterka averaged 20:26 of ice time in his final 13 outings, collecting seven goals, 46 shots on net and two assists during that span. He likely won't contribute much to hits or blocks totals, but as a high-volume shooter likely to take on increased roles, he has tremendous upside as a value target for fantasy managers.

After getting a brief taste of the NHL in 2021-22, Peterka put forth a solid rookie campaign last season, contributing 12 goals, 32 points and 125 shots in 77 contests while averaging 13:39 of ice time. The 21-year-old forward was selected with the No. 34 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and possesses a fair amount of offensive upside. The main issue is that Buffalo has plenty of talented young forwards, so Peterka might struggle to get a significantly bigger role than he had in 2022-23. That said, there is a greater opportunity for him to earn a top-six spot out of the gate after Jack Quinn underwent surgery for an Achilles injury that's projected to cost him roughly the first month of the season. If Peterka can take advantage of that opportunity, perhaps he can hang onto the spot and build towards a 50-point campaign, though there's also the real risk that he'll struggle to get out of a third-line role in his sophomore season and end up with offensive numbers largely mirroring his rookie showing.