BUFFALO, N.Y. — Many Sabres fans love to pair Jack Quinn and JJ Peterka together. But the two have reached their first Sabres development camp through different paths of growth with the Amerks.

What You Need To Know

  • Peterka started his first season with the Amerks on a slow note, only scoring four goals in 17 games through November
  • Assistant coach and former Sabre Michael Peca has been a significant on-ice mentor to the budding star
  • Since Peterka played in less than 10 NHL games last year, his contract was extended another year as part of the entry-level slide

“Jack had that experience in Rochester. He was here the year berfore, so he was a little bit more understanding to some of the stuff that was being taught and expected of him,” former Sabre and current Amerks assistant coach Michael Peca said on Friday at the third day of Sabres development camp. “JJ took a while. You know, I think JJ only had three goals through his first 20, 25 games or so. Started to understand the things we were trying to teach him as a staff and next thing you know, I think he ended up for four, five or six hat tricks to the end of the season.”

The player JJ came to Rochester as and the player JJ is today at Harborcenter take on completely different roles on the ice. Admittedly, JJ recognizes that he wouldn’t be the player he is today without going through that adversity.

“I think after playing a year here overseas, I kind of like reflected and really saw that that year was important for me in Roch,” Peterka said.

Now with a new perspective of the difference between AHL and NHL play, Peterka has embraced changing his on-ice identity in order to reach his NHL dreams.

“The thing that I spent the most time with him with was just having him understand how much he can impact the game without scoring or without getting on the score sheet,” Peca said. “He’s incredibly fast, powerful, instinctual. He became one of our best penalty killers by the end of the season. I think at the start of the season, we never expected him to be able to kill penalties.”

“Oh yeah, when I came down I didn’t know that either,” Peterka said with a laugh, “that I would be a penalty killer at the end of the season, but I mean, it’s always about ice time. If you can gain the trust from coach also, killing penalties, it meant a lot for me.”

With this journey in mind, the expectations remain high for Peterka on his way to the show.

“He’s an impressive young man,” Peca said. “I still view him as a unicorn. I can’t find anyone I’ve ever played with or against, even in today’s game, that resembles the type of player he can become.”