Player Discussion Peyton Krebs C/LW -- Re-signed 2 years, $1.45m AAV

[Zman5778]

If Aspland and Kulich are in the plan for our bottom six next year, then we will have failed the offseason.

If Asplund rediscovers his game, he's absolutely an option for the bottom six next year.....and frankly exactly what we want/need out of a bottom 6er.

He's gotta rediscover his game though..........no clue what happened to him this year.

 

[Grouch]

Is there a reason why you always butcher Asplunds name? Seems to be on purpose.

I think Assland would be intentional. Aspland is possible.

His point stands though.

If Asplund rediscovers his game, he's absolutely an option for the bottom six next year.....and frankly exactly what we want/need out of a bottom 6er.

He's gotta rediscover his game though..........no clue what happened to him this year.

Paired with 71 and 37? Then injured. Then benched for kids to play and Jost coming on. With having to play with 71 and 37 being the main driver.

 

[Zman5778]

Paired with 71 and 37? Then injured. Then benched for kids to play and Jost coming on. With having to play with 71 and 37 being the main driver.

Only a slightly valid reason, given how good Asplund was with Mitts and VO last year. Like, they were our 2nd best line for large stretches of last year and occasionally our best when the big boys struggled.

Asplund's decline is far more shocking to me than Krebs' ascent.

 

[Grouch]

Only a slightly valid reason, given how good Asplund was with Mitts and VO last year. Like, they were our 2nd best line for large stretches of last year and occasionally our best when the big boys struggled.

Asplund's decline is far more shocking to me than Krebs' ascent.

Agree, but it's funny. I would argue Mitts and VO have struggled more 5v5 than anyone this year, and quite frankly have brought down a few guys, but still get in lineup night after night.

Why? 1) Are most of us blind and they are playing well? 2) Do stats lie, or 3) are they being shopped around?

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

If Aspland and Kulich are in the plan for our bottom six next year, then we will have failed the offseason.

I said "if Asplund gets back to where he was". If not then he stays on as a 13th FW. Quinn and Peterka had one full season in Rochester and joined the Sabres. Kulich is in Rochester a year earlier in his career than those two, but I expect at some point around the middle of the season that Kulich will get a look. Others were talking about adding speed and/or forechecking to that line. Kulich is all of that and more, just a matter of how far he develops in the next 11-13 months.

 

[Bendium]

If Asplund rediscovers his game, he's absolutely an option for the bottom six next year.....and frankly exactly what we want/need out of a bottom 6er.

He's gotta rediscover his game though..........no clue what happened to him this year.

I disagree. Even if he rediscovers his game from last year, he still will be an offensive void, average skater, below average in size, below average in hitting, drawing penalties, doesn't play heavy.

The simple point is this, even at AsplUnd's best....we can and should do better than him in our bottom six.

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

Donny doing Donny things again turning Krebs into our 3C right before our eyes. The offensive IQ is always gonna be there, but teaching him and getting him to commit to a different portion of his game to help this team win games now and in the future? That's huge.

If Krebs ends up being a tenacious, playmaking 3C who can put up give or take 50 points we are sitting pretty. He will only get better as he fills out and adjusts.

I've been starting to feel the same way about him lately. He always had play making ability but now add some feistiness and solid defensive play he can be a well rounded player and long term 3C easily. He can also get some PP mins on the second unit on the right side.

 

[SabresFan26]

Krebs has a long way to go before we should be declaring that.

His biggest issues are being overly cute and aggressive to force offense. Essentially a swashbuckling turnover machine. Playing with Girgs/Okposo has forced him away from that type of game. He is learning to grind out results. Its led to a better version of Krebs. Plus Girgs/Okposo can cover for his mistakes when old habits creep in.

The above is the reason I didn’t want him anywhere near Skinner’s spot. The temptation to go back to that swashbuckling turnover machine would be too great playing with skill guys like that.

When Krebs is consistently playing like he is now (with Girgs/Okposo) with two skill wingers is when we can start thinking along the lines of him as a center to build around. But we’re not there yet.

That spine is also brutal at facing off and would need to be significantly better.

 

[Gabrielor]

If Asplund rediscovers his game, he's absolutely an option for the bottom six next year.....and frankly exactly what we want/need out of a bottom 6er.

He's gotta rediscover his game though..........no clue what happened to him this year.

I genuinely forgot Asplund was a forward we have for the last 2 weeks.

His route into the lineup is clear, the org/coaching just needs the stones to hold 2 forwards accountable.

 

[Chainshot]

I genuinely forgot Asplund was a forward we have for the last 2 weeks.

His route into the lineup is clear, the org/coaching just needs the stones to hold 2 forwards accountable.

Yet for the staff's willingness to let players play, we also know that they will shorten their bench and make moves when a loss happens. Since they're not losing, there isn't much call to alter the lineup.

 

[Gabrielor]

Yet for the staff's willingness to let players play, we also know that they will shorten their bench and make moves when a loss happens. Since they're not losing, there isn't much call to alter the lineup.

I agree on continuity, and have even mea-culpa'd on some hasty jump to conclusions that were wrong (UPL can't play, Joker looks terrible).

For all that though, 3 guys have consistently made the same mistakes all season, some costing us games, and faced basically no consequences. They're all still fairly high on average TOI, but there has been little/no improvement. 37, 78, 71.

71 brings value, but it's on the PP, and he's a downgrade to other options now. A bottom 6 pp gadget isn't a hot commidity.

37 is trying out there, I believe it, but it's so much effort for nothing created.

78 is the most baffling, because his weakness is the most glaring (he isn't a NHL-level player in the ozone. It's the worst I've ever seen for someone that fast).

 

[Ace]

Long time readers may recall that Krebs showed immediate chemistry on this line before being sat out for no reason on a rotation that didn’t make sense. Then they tried him with Mitts and Olofsson and like everyone else…it didn’t work. Hey….what do you know…the thing that worked is working instead.

Yet for the staff's willingness to let players play, we also know that they will shorten their bench and make moves when a loss happens. Since they're not losing, there isn't much call to alter the lineup.

There’s a call to move on from one specific winger who provides nothing at this point no matter how long they let him play through it. Unfortunately the call is not coming from inside the house.

 

[Dingo44]

I love how Krebs keeps following in Tuch's footsteps...

 

[Dingo44]

 

[buffalowing88]

I've been starting to feel the same way about him lately. He always had play making ability but now add some feistiness and solid defensive play he can be a well rounded player and long term 3C easily. He can also get some PP mins on the second unit on the right side.

Him as the long-term 3C who could actually take advantage of some weaker defensive pairings is my dream. I think it's in the cards. There's still so many moving pieces but the Krebs of the past few weeks is looking like that guy.

 

[DustyZ]

This guy takes more penalities for the time he's on the ice, it's remarkable.

And goodness, can he turn the puck over.

He does win a faceoff every now and then.

 

[toomuchsauce]

*ben affleck saying "retainer" in good will hunting voice* the press box

 

[TageGod]

He is supposed to be an elite passer with great vision. He is a terrible hockey player and will end up a career ahler at this rate.

 

[toomuchsauce]

maybe he is on the tage thompson development plan, in which case he will turn into the second coming of Bryan Trottier as soon as he turns 24. ???

 

[Der Jaeger]

Maybe we should be patient with the development and not over-react to a game or two?

The kid is 21 years old. From a timing persepctive, think about Cozens half way through last year. At the 93 game point, Cozens had 42 points, mostly due to a strong start to the 2021-22 season. He really tailed off at the end, with only 9 points in his final 27 games.

Krebs is at 32 points in his first 93 games, 13 of which were with Vegas where he got 1 assist. So while we're riding high when he forechecks and fights, and trashing him when he makes bad plays, he's still just a 21 year old trying to figure things out.

I'd maybe have some patience. He's got desire and talent. It'll pan out eventually.

 

[Butt Ox]

He got that dawg in him.

 

[Beerz]

Maybe we should be patient with the development and not over-react to a game or two?

The kid is 21 years old. From a timing persepctive, think about Cozens half way through last year. At the 93 game point, Cozens had 42 points, mostly due to a strong start to the 2021-22 season. He really tailed off at the end, with only 9 points in his final 27 games.

Krebs is at 32 points in his first 93 games, 13 of which were with Vegas where he got 1 assist. So while we're riding high when he forechecks and fights, and trashing him when he makes bad plays, he's still just a 21 year old trying to figure things out.

I'd maybe have some patience. He's got desire and talent. It'll pan out eventually.

And it is ok if he just becomes a high energy 4th liner.. as long as he finds his role on team.

 

[Der Jaeger]

And it is ok if he just becomes a high energy 4th liner.. as long as he finds his role on team.

Agree, but I think he'll be more than that. Hoping for Trocheck.

 

[dortt]

hard to put up many points playing with Girgs. KO also has slowed down big time this year

 

[joshjull]

Maybe we should be patient with the development and not over-react to a game or two?

The kid is 21 years old. From a timing persepctive, think about Cozens half way through last year. At the 93 game point, Cozens had 42 points, mostly due to a strong start to the 2021-22 season. He really tailed off at the end, with only 9 points in his final 27 games.

Krebs is at 32 points in his first 93 games, 13 of which were with Vegas where he got 1 assist. So while we're riding high when he forechecks and fights, and trashing him when he makes bad plays, he's still just a 21 year old trying to figure things out.

I'd maybe have some patience. He's got desire and talent. It'll pan out eventually.

I agree with the need for patience and allow Krebs time to keep developing. But I don’t see a parallel to Cozens development.


From a development pov Cozens was miles ahead last season to where Krebs is this season. Mitts‘ game one injury forced him into a top 6 center role that he handle pretty well for someone his age. He also played on the PP, Pk, closing out games, etc. He was even tasked a few times with crazy difficult matchups like McDavid. He did all that with a revolving set of wingers.

The points weren’t there yet for Cozens last season but he was getting tasked with far more diffuclt minutes, so it was understandable. Plus he was showing he was able to contribute in all situations with upside to come in all areas. Whereas Krebs is still looking to establish himself in the NHL.