Adams laments 'misinformation' around Sabres, but declines comment on Peterka
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Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams lamented the amount of "misinformation" circling his team this off-season on Tuesday, and shut down reports of the team buying out defenceman Mattias Samuelsson.
Adams, however, declined to comment on the future of restricted free agent J.J. Peterka, whose name has come up in trade rumours. The general manager said it would not be productive to make comments in the media, but noted the two sides had productive conversations after the season.
Peterka, 23, is in line for a significant new deal after he had 27 goals and led all restricted free agents with 68 points in 77 games this season. The 6-foot winger is coming off of his three-year, entry-level contract that carried a cap hit of $855,833.
TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun wrote Tuesday in The Athletic that Peterka would prefer a change of scenery and while the Sabres are getting calls - and trade offers - for him, the team would prefer to keep the promising talent.
As for Samuelsson, the 25-year-old blueliner is entering the third season of a seven-year, $30 million contract that carries an annual cap hit of $4.29 million. The deal runs through the 2029-30 season.
The 6-foot-4 left-shot had four goals and 10 points in 62 games with the Sabres last season while averaging 19:18 of ice time.
Adams called it "ridiculous" to think the Sabres would buy out Samuelsson, a move that would clear $3.57 in space in each of the next five years but carry a $714,286 charge in the five years after.
“I feel bad for our fans," Adams said. "There’s so much misinformation. It’s nonsense. Someone that has no idea what they’re talking about reporting that we’re gonna buy Sammy out. We’ve never had that conversation once.”
The Sabres have $23 million in cap space this off-season with 16 players under contract for next year, per PuckPedia.
Buffalo currently holds the ninth-overall selection in this week's draft, but Adams said there would be "zero hesitation" to trade the pick if the right offer came up.
The Sabres will once again look to chart a path back to the postseason this summer and end their 14-year playoff drought.