It's easy to understand why Peyton Krebs has been a favorite of recent Buffalo Sabres coaches, whether it be Lindy Ruff or Don Granato. He's a hardworking, versatile forward who competes every shift and understands his defensive assignments.
Here's the problem: Krebs is an offensive black hole.
The 24-year-old Canadian's 5-on-5 attacking metrics have been among the worst by a full-time NHL forward since his arrival to Buffalo in the 2021 Jack Eichel trade. That's remained the case this season, as evidenced by his HockeyViz profile.
That's a pressing issue because Krebs has recently been elevated to the Sabres' top line because of injuries, and his struggles offensively were on full display in Saturday's 5-1 road loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, which ended the club's 10-game winning streak.