In a world often searching for complex solutions — the Buffalo Sabres' analytics department created a 50-page report over the summer about how to solve the team's longstanding power play problems — sometimes the best answer is a basic one.
That may be the case for Sabres center Peyton Krebs, who's still searching for his first goal this season after posting a career-high 12 last year.
Krebs will never become a high-end NHL goal scorer for a variety of reasons, including the lack of a lethal shot and his preferred pass-first approach, but it's hard to light the lamp consistently when 63.2% of your unblocked shot attempts miss the net.
That's the case for the 25-year-old Canadian this season, according to MoneyPuck. It's by far the highest rate among full-time Buffalo forwards, and it's the third-highest percentage among all NHL forwards who've skated at least 100 minutes in 2026-27.
It's not an out-of-nowhere trend for Krebs, though it's reached new heights this season. At least 33.3% of his shot attempts missed the net in each of the past three campaigns. His previous high in that category was 42.4% in 2024-25.
The issue likely stems from a combination of factors.
First, Krebs may feel the need to pick corners since he doesn't possess a consistently dangerous shot like Tage Thompson or Jack Quinn. He's registered just six shots over 70 mph this season and his hardest (77.1) is a full three mph below the NHL average in that category, per NHL EDGE.
Second, the 2019 first-round pick takes too many long-range shots for a player with his skill set. He should almost exclusively be taking his attempts from the faceoff dots or lower in the zone. He simply doesn't possess the shot necessary to score from farther out on a regular basis.
Krebs needs to make a concerted effort to make sure a significantly larger portion of his attempts start testing the goalie, regardless of where he's shooting from. Even if those shots do go in, they create far more opportunity for a deflection, rebound or crazy bounce in a high-danger area.
Not only does missing the net completely eliminate those potentially favorable results, it often jump-starts a transition attack going the other way for Buffalo's opponents.
That's why a simple mindset shift — hit the net no matter what — could lead to a lot more Sabres goals when Krebs is on the ice, both for himself and his teammates.
Peyton Krebs receiving another chance as Buffalo's first-line center
Although the 2021 WHL Player of the Year hasn't developed into the offensive force the Sabres (and originally the Vegas Golden Knights) expected, he's still earned the trust of head coach Lindy Ruff.
Every time a top-nine spot becomes available, either via injury or poor performance, part of the lineup changes usually includes pushing Krebs up to the top line. Buffalo found success with him skating alongside Thompson and Alex Tuch during its memorable run last year.
It's happened again recently as Jiri Kulich and Konsta Helenius departed the lineup with injuries, leading to a line of Krebs, Thompson and Zach Benson. The same size remains small (22 minutes) but that trio has outscored opponents 5-0 in 5-on-5 situations (via Natural Stat Trick).
Would the Sabres love to find a bona fide No. 1 NHL center capable of filling that void, which has been an issue since Jack Eichel left the organization in 2021? Of course.
Yet, Krebs usually finds a way to contribute when called upon. He's a high-energy puck hound who's developed obvious chemistry with a shoot-first linemate like Thompson. At a time when nobody else is stepping up, Ruff keeps going back to that combination.
The Sabres have juggled their forward lines quite a bit through 14 games as they search for a little more offensive consistency. So it's possible more changes are on the horizon, particularly as some of their injured players return.
Krebs may ultimately land back on the fourth line as a result. No matter whether he's playing with Thompson and Benson or Sam Carrick and Beck Malenstyn, he's always going to give 100% effort, which is why he's beloved by his teammates.
A little more offensive production would take his impact for a whole new level, though.
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