The Buffalo Sabres thought they were getting a high-upside, top-six playmaker after acquiring Peyton Krebs in the blockbuster Jack Eichel trade in 2021. It looked for quite awhile like he'd never live up to those game-changer expectations.
Now, as the Sabres gear up for their first appearance in the NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2011, there are legitimate signs Krebs is finally breaking through.
The 25-year-old forward was tasked with bringing some defensive chops to Buffalo's top line alongside Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch in recent weeks. While he's always been capable of handling a high-energy, team-first role, the offense has been severely lacking.
That's suddenly started to change. Krebs has recorded six points over the past eight games, including goals in the team's last two wins, victories over the Seattle Kraken and New York Islanders.
Buffalo's triumph over the Isles on Tuesday night allowed them to hit the 100-point mark and dropped their magic number to clinch a 2026 postseason berth to three.
"It feels good to see that 100 on there," Krebs told reporters. "It's been a lot of work, obviously. Lots of ups and downs. We still got a long ways to go here, but that feels good to hit that 100. I think it's going to really give us some momentum here in the last few games and in the playoffs."
The 2019 first-round pick has recorded a career-high 36 points (11 goals and 25 assists) while appearing in all 75 games for the Sabres this season. All but one of those points has come at even strength.
Beyond the numbers, Krebs is starting to look more confident in the offensive zone. He read a third-period play perfectly as Tuch outworked the New York defense to create a scoring chance, and the 5-foot-11 Canadian was waiting in the slot to chip home the go-ahead goal.
"You could tell that shift that [Tuch] had his legs and he was feeling it," Krebs said. "He had a lot of speed there doing his thing that he usually does, and I kind of had a feeling he was going to throw it in there, and I just had to be in the right spot at the right time."
There were stretches over the past four seasons where he was among the league's least impactful offensive forwards. So, seeing him finally reach a point where he's thinking ahead of the play to get himself in prime scoring areas is a massive development for Buffalo.
The Sabres will hope the recent run of success allows Krebs to enter the playoffs riding a wave of confidence to make the club's first line even more dangerous.
Meanwhile, let's dive into the latest installment of our Sabres player grades series following the hard-fought triumph over a desperate Isles squad.
Buffalo Sabres' top line dominates in March 31 win over the New York Islanders
Sabres player grades
Player | Grade (1-10) |
|---|---|
Tage Thompson | 9.5 |
Peyton Krebs | 9 |
Alex Tuch | 9 |
Rasmus Dahlin | 8.5 |
Mattias Samuelsson | 8.5 |
Josh Norris | 8.5 |
Zach Benson | 8 |
Jack Quinn | 8 |
Josh Doan | 7.5 |
Ryan McLeod | 7 |
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | 7 |
Beck Malenstyn | 6.5 |
Jordan Greenway | 6.5 |
Bowen Byram | 6.5 |
Jason Zucker | 6 |
Logan Stanley | 6 |
Sam Carrick | 5.5 |
Owen Power | 5.5 |
Zach Metsa | 5 |
Buffalo Player of the Game: Tage Thompson
Tuesday night represents exactly what the Sabres need from Thompson in the postseason. A constant force in the offensive zone who creates space for himself on the power play and limits his individual turnovers, which is a definite issue at times.
The 28-year-old sniper created a little opening for himself at the top of the slot early in the third period to fire home his 38th goal of the campaign. It was his sixth tally with the man advantage. He's up to 78 points in 75 games overall.
There simply aren't many defensemen around the Eastern Conference capable of shutting down a 6-foot-6, 220-pound forward with his combination of speed and skill when he's clicking on all cylinders, and he's trending in that direction at Buffalo's top line finds a rhythm with Krebs.
It wouldn't be a surprise if Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff tries to get Thompson a few games off late in the campaign since he didn't get any rest over the Olympic break while helping lead Team USA to a gold medal. That'll depend on the East top seed and Atlantic Division title races, though.
Sabres quick hits
- This may become at least somewhat of a Pyrrhic victory if Sam Carrick is forced to miss an extended period after suffering an arm injury in a fight with Anders Lee. Carrick, the team's best faceoff option, was stepping up to defend Josh Norris, who was hit from behind twice in the contest.
- Bowen Byram ended a 31-game goal drought by hitting the empty net from behind the Sabres' own goal line. Jack Quinn also scored for Buffalo in the win.
- Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen played better than his numbers (25 saves on 28 shots; .893 SV%) indicate because New York scored its final goal on a flurry with one second remaining. He kept the Isles at bay until the Blue and Gold offense came alive late.
- Jordan Greenway returned from another extended absence due to a middle-body injury and showed more skating juice than he has all season. He could be an option for the fourth line in the playoffs if Carrick remains sidelined.
- Zach Metsa rejoined the lineup after a brief stint with the AHL's Rochester Americans and provided his usual steady effectiveness in a low-minute role.
- The Sabres (46-21-8) will attempt to bring an official end to their 14-year playoff drought on Thursday night (7 p.m. ET) with a win over the Ottawa Senators (38-26-10), who are among a large group of teams battling for the East's final postseason bids.