After signings and trades, where does Peyton Krebs fit with Sabres?

BUFFALO – During their exit meeting in April, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams noticed a bit of a shift in center Peyton Krebs’ mentality.

When Adams asked him about his season, Krebs, 23, told him he believes he can be a 200-foot, two-way center in the NHL.

“When he first got here, there was so much emphasis on offense and he’d always been an offensive player,” Adams said June 20 in KeyBank Center.

Krebs, an asset the Sabres received in the Jack Eichel trade, carries a reputation as a sublime playmaker. If he hadn’t torn his Achilles tendon prior to the NHL Draft in 2019, he likely would’ve been selected higher than 17th overall by the Vegas Golden Knights. He averaged more than a point per game in junior and the AHL.

But so far, he has struggled to produce offense in the NHL. His stints on scoring lines haven’t lasted long.

Last season, his third with the Sabres, he set careers lows across the board – just four goals, 13 assists and 17 points – in a career-high 80 games. He mustered just 74 shots on goal.

Krebs ranked 15th on the Sabres in scoring. Defenseman Connor Clifton equaled his goal total and registered one more point.

“I definitely didn’t have the year I wanted, offensively and just overall,” Krebs said April 18. “I know I need to be better.”

Overall, Krebs has compiled just 20 goals and 66 points in 215 NHL contests, never eclipsing nine goals or 26 points in a season.

Adams, however, hasn’t lost confidence in him.

“We’re still gonna see him improve and we’re gonna see him grow as a player,” he said.

Krebs has showcased growth in other areas, most notably as a checker. He often irritates opponents and occasionally fights.

“I tried to go with the same mindset throughout the whole year, just being that player that is a pain to play against,” Krebs said. “And each and every moment I had to do that, every time I was on the ice I was trying to, there’s no doubt about that.”

In the past month, Adams has praised Krebs a few times, pointing out he possesses the maturity and tenacity to carve out a role.

Krebs’ words to Adams following the season resonated with the GM, illustrating to him he understands he must evolve.

Adams said he likes his “character” and “competitiveness.”

“And I like now that (he has a) mature mindset of different ways to succeed in this league and not just an offensive side,” he said. “So that to me was a telling statement. And I’m excited about him.”

But right now, where does Krebs, a restricted free agent, fit in the Sabres’ lineup?

Early in the offseason, he was penciled in as perhaps their third- or fourth-line center, spots he has often played since joining the Sabres in 2021-22. Then they signed Sam Lafferty and traded for Ryan McLeod, possibly filling up those positions.

Krebs has occasionally skated as a winger with the Sabres. Lafferty has also played wing for much of his career, so new coach Lindy Ruff has options for his bottom six.

“(Krebs is) still a young player,” Adams said July 1. “… He showed a lot of signs over the last year of starting to understand the defensive side of the game. … He’s got great vision. He has offensive skill. We know that from his track record before we traded for him, and now he’s gonna find his way.

“I think there’s a chance for him, an upside of being a player that can play higher up the lineup, whether that’s a center, which we believe he is, or maybe eventually could he slide to the wing?”