Why Krebs will be the Buffalo Sabres breakout player
Few players can step into an NHL lineup after playing in 25 career AHL games, but that is exactly what Krebs did. And while he did have some poor statistics, such as a 35.7 win percentage with face-offs and 31 giveaways, his 15 assists and 15.2 shooting percentage jump out.
Take Krebs’ 22 points in 48 games and even them out to an 82-game season: You get 38 points, which is what Dylan Cozens scored in 79 games. This indicates that Krebs was one of the better scoring forwards on the ice not named Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, or Victor Olofsson.
As with many rookies heading into their second season, the game will slow down for Krebs. So it is not far-fetched to believe that he can potentially put up some dominant performances in Year 2. He will also have chemistry with Mittelstadt and Olofsson, which will only augment the possibility he can take games over from the second line.