Golden Knights select Peyton Krebs with No. 17 pick
The Vegas Golden Knights chose Peyton Krebs with the 17th overall pick of the 2019 NHL Draft.
Peyton Krebs
Position: Forward
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 181 lbs
Age: 18
Club: Kootenay Ice (WHL)
Nationality: Canadian
| GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| 64 | 19 | 49 | 68 |
(Stats courtesy: EliteProspects.com)
Krebs was initially projected as a borderline top-10 pick. Some wondered how his draft stock would be affected after he suffered a partially torn Achilles tendon in early June, but he wasn't expected to play in the NHL right away.
The Calgary-born center led the Ice (who are relocating to Winnipeg for the 2019-20 campaign) in assists and points during the 2018-19 regular season after being named captain in December. He slotted in as the 10th-ranked North American skater on NHL Central Scouting's final rankings in April.
Krebs was considered the fourth-best prospect in the WHL behind Bowen Byram, Kirby Dach, and Dylan Cozens.
He produced six goals and 10 points in seven games while wearing the 'C' for the Canadian squad at the Under-18 World Championship.
What they're saying
"Krebs reminds me a lot of (St. Louis Blues forward) Ryan O'Reilly," TSN's Craig Button said in June. "Coaches have a sense of calm when he's on the ice because they know he has all aspects of the game under control."
"The first thing that stands out with Peyton Krebs is his ability to do it with speed," McKeen's Hockey's Vince Gibbons wrote in May. "He can carry the puck with speed, he can back-check with speed, he exits and enters the zone with speed, and he joins the rush with speed. He is pushing the pace in all facets of the game when he is on the ice. Often players with this kind of speed are rushed when making plays, but Krebs' elite hockey sense keeps him in control."