ROCHESTER – Standing rinkside moments after leaving the ice, Peyton Krebs cracked a smile when recalling the chaos of uprooting his life in Las Vegas to relocate across the country.
Krebs was in Ottawa with the Vegas Golden Knights when he learned of the blockbuster November trade that sent him to the Buffalo Sabres. Only 20 years old, Krebs was just beginning his professional life out west. With the help of his girlfriend, Krebs had to move all his furniture and his recently purchased truck to Rochester. They had to find somewhere to live in a new city far different from the one they just left.
“That side of it has definitely been a bit of a headache to try to get that all organized,” Krebs told The News following a Rochester Americans practice in Bill Gray’s Iceplex.
Now the question is how soon until Krebs must move again. A talented center with 13 games of NHL experience, Krebs was acquired by the Sabres along with winger Alex Tuch and a first-round draft choice for former face of the franchise Jack Eichel.
Krebs was in the NHL at the time of the trade, skating in a Golden Knights lineup that was missing some of its top players, but he was assigned to Rochester to continue to develop his game. Kreb's sole focus now is to earn a permanent spot with the Sabres, but the transition hasn’t been seamless on the ice.
While Krebs entered the Amerks’ holiday break with four goals and 14 points in 16 games, he described his play as inconsistent and quickly pinpointed why.
“I think it’s been pretty good for the most part,” he said. “I’ve definitely had my ups and downs in terms of consistency. I’m trying to really hone in on that. I have definitely been putting pressure on myself. I want to be up in the NHL really bad, and I want to do really well. The biggest thing for me is relax, play hockey and have fun out there.”
Sabres General Manager Kevyn Adams joined the Amerks on a recent trip to Charlotte to watch a back-to-back set against the Florida Panthers’ American Hockey League affiliate. The first game was a catastrophe for Rochester, which lost 11-1 with ECHL goalie Mat Robson in net. Krebs had an assist with a minus-4 rating.
The following night, Krebs had one shot on goal in a 4-2 loss. In a seven-game span from Nov. 24 through Dec. 15, Krebs was credited with only four shots on goal. Sabres fans were clamoring for Krebs’ arrival when Casey Mittelstadt underwent surgery on an undisclosed upper-body injury this month, but Adams and his staff showed restraint.
“Peyton, to me is very mature,” Adams said. “He's by nature, a curious type of kid who just asks questions, wants to get better. I have great conversations with him. And he knows that he is going to be a very big part of our future here. The message to him has been, 'Don't wake up every day thinking about Buffalo. Just wake up every day, get your feet under you. You're only 20 years old, let's just bring you along.'”
Easier said than done. Krebs had been around the Golden Knights since he was drafted 17th overall in 2019. He lived with Vegas captain Mark Stone while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, stayed in the home of enforcer Ryan Reaves last spring, and trained alongside Max Pacioretty last summer. Krebs spent time in the NHL playoff bubble in the summer of 2020, and he played nine games with Vegas this season before the trade.
Krebs recorded his first career NHL point in his debut last May, assisting on Tuch’s goal in a 6-5 loss to Minnesota. Mature play at both ends of the ice earned Krebs more ice time, but his season was cut short when a puck to the face broke his jaw.
He experienced success against the world’s best and now he must prove to his new bosses that he belongs in Buffalo.
“It’s been a lot of work,” Krebs said. “I’m coming in every day trying to get better. Obviously, the main goal of everything with me is to play in the NHL. That’s where I want to be, but I need to work my way back there. … Obviously, a new organization, trying to make my mark and get to the NHL.”
Krebs capped the Amerks’ recent road trip with perhaps his two best games since the trade. According to Rochester coach Seth Appert, Krebs skated 27-plus minutes in a win at Lehigh Valley, followed by a two-goal game against Hershey in which he had five shots on goal. Krebs has recorded at least one point in nine of his 16 games with Rochester and has multiple points on five occasions.
“I think what I like about him is that when he’s at his best is when he’s playing more physically committed and competitive,” Appert said. “Some players when they play physically engaged, the brain sometimes goes off and they’re competing so hard that the brain isn’t there. He actually makes more plays when he’s more physically engaged. I thought we saw that especially the last two games of the trip. He was dynamic.”
At 6-foot, 180 pounds, Krebs has shown he is physically ready for the NHL. He won puck battles during his short time with Vegas and didn’t appear overwhelmed. Confidence has never been an issue, either.
Krebs has kept a close eye on the Sabres and watches every game that doesn’t conflict with Rochester’s schedule. He pays attention to the names and numbers on the jerseys, so when the time comes, he doesn’t need a crash course in who’s who in the dressing room. Krebs also routinely texts Tuch and Dylan Cozens, whom he played with at the IIHF World Junior Championship, to check in.
“I haven’t been up there to see it firsthand, but watching them, I think we have a bright future, for sure,” Krebs said. “With the guys we have coming in here in Rochester, we’re going to be a fast team and it’s going to be fun.”
Adams and Sabres coach Don Granato are preaching patience with the prospects in Rochester. The NHL roster could use an infusion of talent – especially with multiple players in Covid-19 protocol – but the Sabres aren’t willing to sacrifice long-term development for short-term gains. For now, they’d prefer Krebs learn in Rochester alongside fellow top prospects Jack Quinn, JJ Peterka and Mattias Samuelsson.
An opportunity could come sooner than later, but for now, Krebs continues to remind himself why he's in Rochester.
“For me, it’s the bigger picture,” he said. “One single game isn’t going to determine your career, so you have to take it shift by shift. Live in the moment is a big thing and not look too far ahead. But also realize that what you’re doing now is only going to pay dividends in the future. I love coming to the rink every day and getting better.”
