Vegas Golden Knights: Peyton Krebs could take the NHL by storm in 2020-21
Peyton Krebs is the jewell in the crown of the Vegas Golden Knights farm system, and 2020-21 could be the year the stud forward announces his arrival to the world.
Drafted by the Vegas Golden Knights with the 17th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Krebs would have gone a lot higher were it not for a slightly torn Achilles injury that put some teams off.
But, their loss will be the Golden Knights’ gain and Krebs has already overcome that body blow after recovering before absolutely tearing it up for the Winnipeg Ice in the WHL this year.
Through just 38 games, Krebs put up 12 goals and 48 assists for 60 points with a plus/minus rating of +11.
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That is pretty incredible to say the least but the most encouraging factor for the Golden Knights will be the fact that Krebs came through unscathed in the wake of his long recovery.
And, now with ample time to recover in the wake of the WHL being cancelled due to COVID-19, Krebs will be refreshed and ready and raring to go for 2020-21.
Secret Weapon for the Golden Knights?
Arguably the most talented asset the Golden Knights have in the farm system currently, along with center Cody Glass, Peyton Krebs has an incredibly high ceiling and he boasts all the intangibles needed to become a stud in the National Hockey League.
Now, the timeline for Krebs to make the leap to the big leagues was a little fuzzy in the wake of his Achilles injury, but the picture has changed considerably after the prospect lit it up in the WHL this year.
After making a full recovery and tearing it up for the Winnipeg Ice, could Krebs battle for a spot on the opening night roster for the Vegas Golden Knights in 2020-21?
Having signed his entry-level contract, the 19-year-old will report to Training Camp and will get the chance to impress both the coaching staff and the front office.
And there is an opportunity there to seize for Krebs.
Because, should the salary cap for 2020-21 be frozen at $81.5 million, the Golden Knights will have around $8 million in cap space to re-sign seven free agents and then fill out the rest of the roster.
Given that Krebs’ cap hit for the 2020-21 season will be a cost-effective $925,000, coupled with the struggles of the third-line to generate secondary scoring this year, there could be a roster spot up for grabs for Krebs to claim.
Imagine a third-line of Alex Tuch, Cody Glass and Krebs?
That has the potential to be an explosive line and it would also give Vegas added depth with Chandler Stephenson and Nick Cousins dropping to the fourth-line, should they both re-sign in the off-season.
It is certainly worth giving Krebs a look throughout Training Camp and the preseason, and you can always send him down to the AHL in order to hone his craft should he struggle in the NHL at first.
But, blessed with incredible natural talent, willing to go to the dirty areas and a high-end playmaker with a perfect mix of speed, skill and smarts, Krebs really could be a secret weapon for the Golden Knights in 2020-21.
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If surrounded with proper weapons, such as Glass and Tuch, Krebs could really thrive and flourish at the top level and he has all the attributes to make a seamless transition to the NHL.
With a real need for more secondary scoring and cost-effective options to fill out the roster, the Vegas Golden Knights could do a lot worse than giving one of their most talented prospects the chance to show what he can do.