It was a good day for Vegas Golden Knights prospect Peyton Krebs, but a bad one for forward Brandon Pirri.
It was a busy day for the Vegas Golden Knights who made a couple of transactions prior to faceoff against the LA Kings, and we’re going to delve into those here…
Krebs Signs Entry-Level Deal
What a week it has been for Peyton Krebs.
After taking the ice for the very first time in a Golden Knights jersey earlier in the week, the No.17 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft signed a three-year, entry level contract.
It was a significant moment for the high-end prospect who was projected to go higher in the Draft until a torn achilles suffered during summer workouts scared some teams off.
However, their loss looks set to be the Golden Knights’ gain and the weekend is only just about to get started for Krebs.
Our first pick in this summer’s draft has signed an entry level contract! https://t.co/hoQqBuLrgC
— 🏆 - Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) November 16, 2019
Because, after months of exhaustive rehab work, the forward has been cleared to return to the WHL with the Winnipeg Ice, where he will make his season debut on Sunday.
It will be an unforgettable moment for the prospect and one he can enjoy even more after a momentus week with the Golden Knights.
Kreb tallied 68 points (19 goals, 49 assists) while wearing the “C” on his chest for the Ice last year, and he will be hoping to hit the ground running tomorrow.
Is The End Nigh For Pirri?
While it has been a day to remember for Peyton Krebs, it has been an incredibly bad day at the office for Brandon Pirri.
Because, after a nightmare season, the forward was placed on waivers and it looks likely that he will spend the foreseeable future with the Chicago Wolves in the AHL, unless he is claimed by another team in the NHL of course.
But it shouldn’t be a surprise, however. Because, while he may have some advanced metrics in his favor, the eye test along with the basic stats tells us that Pirri hasn’t produced the goods for the Knights thus far.
Handed a two-year deal worth an average annual value of $775,000 in the off-season after finishing last year with 18 points (12 goals, six assists), Pirri was looked upon as one of the main sources of secondary scoring.
However, after starting the season with the big club, Pirri has failed to produce and he has just one point in 11 games with a -3 rating.
He had been a healthy scratch in six of the Knights’ previous eight games entering today, and the front office obviously decided they had seen enough.
And, sadly, this sums up Pirri’s career in the NHL. He has never really stuck anywhere he’s been and inconsistency has plagued his career in the majors.
As such, I think it is safe to assume that it will be a while, if ever, before we see Brandon Pirri in a Vegas Golden Knights jersey again.