The Bruins didn’t just add a scorer when they landed JJ Peterka from the Utah Mammoth for the 23rd overall pick and the Florida Panthers’ 2028 unprotected first-round pick. They bought themselves a player with a real chance to climb fast in Boston’s setup.
Peterka is 24, and his 2025-26 season in Utah came in at 25 goals and 47 points in 82 games. That was a step back from what he did the year before in Buffalo, when he put up 27 goals and 68 points in 77 games.
Even with that dip, the numbers show why Boston valued him so highly. That 2024-25 production would have tied him for second on the Bruins in points with Morgan Geekie, and put him fourth on the team in goals behind Geekie, Pavel Zacha, and David Pastrnak.
What makes this move especially interesting is the fit. Peterka’s two-way upside is described as huge, and he looks tailor-made for Marco Sturm’s system. He should walk into a top-six role, with the chance to play alongside Pastrnak and/or Zacha, and he’s also set to land on the top power-play unit.
That’s a major change from last season in Utah, where he was buried on the third line for much of the year. In Boston, the path is much clearer.
And if everything clicks, the ceiling is high. With Peterka’s skill set, a 40-goal season is on the table if enough goes right. Geekie reached 39, and Peterka brings a similar level of ability along with a wicked shot.
In Other News...
Bruins Suddenly Have A Backup Goalie Battle Behind Swayman
Joonas Korpisalos move to the New York Rangers left the Bruins with an open lane behind Jeremy Swayman, and it has quickly turned into one of the more interesting early camp questions for Boston. Michael DiPietro has put himself in position to claim the job after standing out in the AHL, and the organization now has a real decision to make on who will dress as the No. 2 goalie when the season begins.
Jiri Patera, signed recently to a two-way contract, adds another layer to the competition and gives Boston a second option to weigh against DiPietro. The Bruins are expected to use training camp to sort it out, which means the backup role is not likely to be handed out on reputation alone. For a team that wants stability behind Swayman, this is one of the quieter battles worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Brad Marchand Update Brings Back A Tough Bruins Reality
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The timing only adds to the uncertainty. Marchands recovery could keep him sidelined for about two months, which would put his status for Opening Night in doubt and leave another gap in a Bruins lineup that has already had to adapt to his absences before. He had double hip surgery in 2022, and while he remains a major figure in the rivalry picture between Boston and Florida, this latest setback is another tough reminder that the road back for an aging star is rarely straightforward. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Just Lost Three Prospects As One Future Question Lingers
Three Bruins prospects have now hit the end of their signing window, closing the book on a trio of different development paths the organization had been tracking. Philip Svedebck, Oskar Jellvik and Mason Langenbrunner are all unrestricted free agents, giving Boston one more reminder that prospect pipelines do not always stay intact from draft day to the point where an NHL job might finally come into view.
Svedebck still wants to keep his pro hockey career going in North America, while Jellvik has moved on to a new opportunity in Sweden and Langenbrunner has stepped away from the game to pursue business ventures. For the Bruins, the bigger question is the same one that always follows a stretch like this: which young players still fit into the long-term plan, and which ones are already headed somewhere else? [Read more 🡒]