{"id":3733,"date":"2026-06-27T19:34:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T19:34:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=3733"},"modified":"2026-06-27T19:34:02","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T19:34:02","slug":"bruins-passed-on-first-round-picks-to-land-shot-for-jj-peterka-who-shares-german-roots-with-coaching-staff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=3733","title":{"rendered":"Bruins passed on first-round picks to land shot for JJ Peterka, who shares German roots with coaching staff"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<div>\n<p><span>BUFFALO \u2014 Dennis and Natalie Peterka were just looking to get their then 3-year-old son, JJ, out of the house for some fresh air and exercise.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=3731\">Millions drop Obamacare health coverage after subsidies expire and costs rise<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span>They took him to the ice-skating area at Ostpark in Munich for a few laps. Little did they know young JJ caught the bug during those early strides. He loved skating and when he caught a look at hockey players, he was hooked. His career path was decided.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cMy parents always went to those public skates where they took me when I was younger,\u201d Peterka told the Globe on Saturday morning from his Munich home. \u201cAnd I remember one time I stayed out a little later and the hockey guys came on afterward and then as soon as I saw them, I wanted to try it out and I kind of stayed with it since then.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><span>Peterka\u2019s latest stop will be Boston after the Bruins flipped a pair of first-round draft picks to the Mammoth for the 24-year-old slick winger with the wicked release.<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><span>Get Starting Point<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span>A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.<\/span><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><label>Enter Email<\/label><\/p>\n<div><button>Sign Up<\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span>\u201cSeeing how much the Bruins gave up to get me \u2014 yeah, I think it\u2019s just a really good feeling overall about how much they believe in me,\u201d said Peterka, a second-round pick of the Sabres in 2020, who will be skating for his third team in three seasons.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Peterka said he hadn\u2019t heard any rumblings or rumors that he was on trading block, so he was pretty surprised when his agent rang him around 1 a.m. Munich time with the news.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Then his phone started blowing up, starting with a call from Bruins coach \u2014 and fellow German \u2014 Marco Sturm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cFirst of all, of course when a message like that hits you, it\u2019s like you are a little bit stunned, but then I was just super excited,\u201d said Peterka, who ended up watching the entire first round of the draft because he couldn\u2019t sleep. \u201cEspecially with knowing a lot of guys on the team, knowing the coach and assistant coach [newcomer Matt McIlvane]. Yeah, no, super excited then, especially when I took all the phone calls [Friday] night as well, talking to them was pretty cool.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div><span>Related<span>: <\/span><\/span>Five things to know about new Bruins forward JJ Peterka<\/div>\n<p><span>Peterka has several connections to the current Bruins roster, including fellow winger Lukas Reichel, with whom he played against and with growing up in Germany. He also played with center Casey Mittelstadt and defenseman Henri Jokiharju in Buffalo.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>He was particularly excited about reuniting with McIlvane, whom he played for with EC Red Bull Salzburg in the ICE Hockey League in Germany.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cWith McIlvane, we go way back,\u201d he said. \u201cThat was kind of always our dream, to be in the NHL together again since he coached me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>As for Sturm, Peterka said he\u2019s heard nothing but good things.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cTalking to other guys that played under him, they said he\u2019s an awesome human being, awesome coach,\u201d he said. \u201cSo yeah, pretty excited. Pretty excited to speak in my mother language with him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=3729\">In major shakeup, PGA Tour approves two-tiered system for 2028<\/a><\/p>\n<div><span>Related<span>: <\/span><\/span>Tracking the Bruins\u2019 second-day picks in 2026 NHL Draft<\/div>\n<p><span>After being traded to Utah last season and signing a five-year, $38.5 million deal, Peterka\u2019s production slipped to 25 goals and 47 points after putting up career highs in goals (27) and points (68) the previous season in Buffalo.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI think overall I wasn\u2019t really happy with the season I had last year. I have way more to give than what I showed,\u201d said Peterka.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Peterka\u2019s power-play time dwindled in with the Mammoth, but he didn\u2019t use that as an excuse for the drop-off.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cOverall, when it comes down to that, I take full accountability. I wasn\u2019t happy with the way I was playing. I just have way more to give,\u201d he said. \u201cSo, with Boston, I think the fit is going to be awesome.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Peterka is looking forward to regaining his power-play prowess.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI think I have a pretty good shot, but I can also make a lot of plays [on the man advantage], seeing the open players and the opportunity when to shoot,\u201d he said. \u201cI think when I\u2019m on top of my game, I can provide the team with good scoring ability there, for sure.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div><span>Related<span>: <\/span><\/span>Tracking local players selected in the 2026 NHL Draft<\/div>\n<p><span>Peterka recalled how difficult it was to face the Bruins at TD Garden and looks forward to having the crowd on his side.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cI especially remember the one season where the Bruins had that record-breaking season [65 wins in 2022-23], I think we lost 7-1 in one game. I never had a game where it was so hard to play and with the atmosphere and everything there was just crazy,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Peterka projects as a top-six forward and is excited at the possible prospect of being on a line with right wing David Pastrnak.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cIt\u2019s crazy. I think especially playing against him, how good he obviously is and watching him and then maybe playing with him, that would be obviously a huge honor,\u201d he said. \u201cSo yeah, that would be pretty sick.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>As the first hockey player in his family, Peterka\u2019s come a long way. So, too, has his dad.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cSo, I think my dad actually started playing hockey after I started,\u201d said Peterka. \u201cHe plays in some men\u2019s league, but yeah, that\u2019s pretty funny.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=3727\">Eric Cole shoots 7-under 63 to lead Scottie Scheffler and others by 1 at Travelers Championship<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Bruins flipped a pair of first-round draft picks to the Mammoth for the 24-year-old slick winger with the wicked release.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3732,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - 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