Vegas Golden Knights: Predicting the short-term future for Peyton Krebs

It seems almost a lifetime ago since the Vegas Golden Knights emerged as one of the big winners at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft in Vancouver after selecting Peyton Krebs with the No.17 overall pick.

Armed with a selection in the First Round for the first time since 2017, when they made Cody Glass the first pick in franchise history, the Vegas Golden Knights were handed the ultimate gift when they went on the clock with the No.17 overall pick.

Still sitting on the board to a plethora of experts’ surprise was Peyton Krebs, a playmaking forward with a high ceiling but who saw his draft stock take a beating after tearing his Achilles during workouts in June.

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While some teams were clearly hesitant when it came to putting Krebs out of his misery, the Golden Knights were left rubbing their hands in glee after acquiring a stud forward who is now arguably their most elite offensive talent behind Glass.

It was one of many shocks in a truly bizarre First Round that completely went off the rails after the first two picks, which went exactly as everyone had predicted with generational talent Jack Hughes going to the New Jersey Devils at No.1 and Finnish sensation Kaapo Kakko being taken by the New York Rangers with the No.2 pick.

In a round absolutely loaded with high-end offensive talent, it was the blueline that took precedence as the Detroit Red Wings sprung the biggest surprise of the night on everyone by taking defenseman Moritz Seider with the sixth overall pick, a move that even left the player himself in utter disbelief.

The Edmonton Oilers, under the guidance of new General Manager Ken Holland, also opted to bolster the blueline by selecting Swedish defenseman Philip Broberg at No.8, leaving the likes of elite sniper Cole Caufield and two-way forward Alex Newhook, who many had projected to go to the Chicago Blackhawks with the No.3 overall pick, falling down the board and being picked way later than projected.

Anyway, back to Peyton Krebs and what should we expect from the 18-year-old in both the immediate and short-term future?

Well, in terms of right now not a lot to be perfectly honest. And that is because, as mentioned at the top of this piece, the left wing is currently recovering from a torn Achilles and didn’t participate in Development Camp, while he has been left off the 2019 Rookie Camp Roster which suggests that it is almost certain he won’t feature in the preseason.

That is a shame as every Golden Knights fan will no doubt be eager to see the No.17 pick in action up close and personal, but it is important that the rookie takes his time to heal properly and not rush his recovery. After all, we’ve all seen the damage a severe Achilles tear can cause after seeing Kevin Durant, now of the Brooklyn Nets of course, be struck down by the injury while playing for the Golden State Warriors in this year’s NBA Playoffs.

Krebs is set to play his hockey with the Winnipeg Ice in the WHL in 2019-20, so he would have unlikely been part of the Golden Knights’ plans for this year anyway. The prospect, who tallied 68 points (19 goals, 49 assists) for Kootenay Ice last year, will have chance to rehab his injury properly while having another year in junior hockey to further learn his craft and hone his skills.

If you trail back through history then players who are selected with the No.17 overall pick normally come from good pedigree and go on to carve out illustrious careers in the game. The shining example is of course Bobby Clarke, who fell to the Philadelphia Flyers at 17 in 1969 before eventually being inducted into the Hall of Fame after retiring with 1,210 points, three Hart Trophies and two Stanley Cups.

Former New York Islanders and Chicago Blackhawks forward Brent Sutter was a No.17 pick, as was defenseman Kevin Hatcher, who enjoyed a glittering career and was named an All-Star on no less than five occasions.

There is no reason to think Krebs can’t follow the same path laid out by those before him, because after all he does boast all the tools in his toolbox required to morph into an NHL star, while his leadership abilities have also been on display after wearing the “C” on his chest for the Kootenay Ice last year, a role he’s also taken on for Canada at U18 level.

But, for now, Kreb’s short-term mission is to make a successful recovery from a torn Achilles before aiming to embark on another successful year in the WHL. From there, the objective will be to make sure he’s ready to hit the ground running in training camp in 2020-21 and potentially make the leap to the NHL.

So, although he won’t be lighting up the majors this year unlike some of his colleagues also taken in the First Round at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Peyton Krebs knows there is no rush and the stage is set for him to make his mark in the NHL with the Vegas Golden Knights in the foreseeable future.