The Buffalo Sabres have several former first and second round picks on their roster. Among them is a brewing enforcer in Peyton Krebs.
Peyton Krebs has shown up over the last few games and no, he’s not going anywhere soon. The Buffalo Sabres acquired Krebs in the Jack Eichel Trade in November 2021, and he’s so far been up and down, but mostly up in recent weeks.
Okay, Krebs has been nothing but up and now, he’s showing some renderings of a two-way game, having sunk three goals over the previous three contests. While he has just 12 points in 37 outings, it’s also wise to remember that this is also Krebs’ first full NHL season, as he played in just 57 games (48 with the Sabres) last year.
Buffalo Sabres forward Peyton Krebs is showing up
While Krebs is on pace for just 24 points this season, feel free to look beyond the offensive statistics to discover how good he truly is. Krebs has been an energy piece for Buffalo, having taken part in two fights (and nearly a few others), and logged 44 hits.
For a while now, I’ve been lamenting that the Sabres aren’t physical enough. And while I understand head coach Don Granato’s system is more position-based, it shouldn’t take away from the fact that the Sabres need someone, anyone, to step up and play a bit of a tough guy role.
Krebs has done that, and you can expect more of the same from him during the latter half of the season. He will also continue to develop his two-way game, so don’t be surprised when you see Krebs’ numbers exceed the projected 24 points total this season. Keep in mind that Krebs also has a 17.1% shooting percentage, second on the team behind Victor Olofsson.
While I don’t expect Krebs to rise above the fourth line this season, it doesn’t make him any less valuable of a player. He will continue to center Kyle Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons on most nights, and provide that energy burst for the Sabres when they need it.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)
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