Last June, during the splashy 2024 NHL Draft at Sphere in Las Vegas, Utah was proactive in acquiring a No. 1 defenseman, Mikhail Sergachev, in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning for forward Conor Geekie, defenseman J.J. Moser, a seventh-round pick in 2024 and a second-round pick in 2025.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. While it would’ve been nice if the Edmonton Oilers were the reigning Stanley Cup champions, it’s that time of year when there is a flurry of moves around the league.

The Sabres traded forward J.J. Peterka to the Mammoth early Thursday morning in exchange for defenseman Michael Kesselring and forward Josh Doan, the teams announced. As part of the transaction, Peterka – who was set to become a restricted free agent – signed a five-year extension with Utah with an average annual value of $7.7 million.