JJ Peterka has hit his stride as we move more than halfway through the season, as Peterka is having his best season yet. The 23-year-old is on pace for over 60 points, and his second 20-20 season, possibly his first 30-30 season if his scoring can keep up. Here are three reasons why Peterka has increased his level of play this season.
Playmaking Ability
Peterka has been able to change his passing ability, and making the extra pass on offense has made him excel in the offensive end. Peterka had a combined 42 assists in his first two seasons in the league, and already has 26 early this season. He is on pace to have over 40 assists at this point, which is breaking his combined total the last few years. His ability to move without the puck helps to generate these kinds of chances, whether he is shooting or passing. His shooting percentage is at 13% this season, a career-high as well. Peterka makes second and third efforts while other players generally hold up. He's rarely stationary, and is constantly scanning the ice when the puck isn't on his stick.
More Ice Time = More Opportunities
During his time in Buffalo, Peterka’s ice time has increased every season as he moves up the depth chart. This year alone he went from 16:24 minutes per game to 17:56 minutes per game, the most in his career. With Peterka playing on more lines, as this includes the powerplay unit as well, he is given more opportunities to showcase his talents. Lindy Ruff saw the jump that Peterka made early in the season and increased his playing time. It is safe to say it is paying off, as Peterka has adapted well to his system and has looked like a top-six forward.
Line One Talent
Peterka has had the opportunity to play on the first line this year, which has increased his play throughout the year as well. The more talent that surrounds Peterka, the more opportunities he can generate for those guys. Besides having a top talent like Tage Thompson on his first line, he also has a top prospect like Jiri Kulich who is slowly finding his footing as a top line center. To top that off, he also has Rasmus Dahlin, and Bowen Byram has a defensive pairing, two guys who are both franchise defensemen. These guys finish their chances more often than not or create better chances for Peterka. If they keep these lines together after the deadline, I have no doubt Peterka will be a 60-point guy by the end of the year. I also believe that this will show people that come next year, Peterka can arguably be an All-Star level talent.