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Peyton Krebs says NHL debut was ‘a long time coming’

The buildup to Peyton Krebs’ NHL debut Monday played out like a dream.

He learned in the morning he would be in the lineup for the game against the Minnesota Wild. He shared the news over FaceTime with his parents, who quickly told family and friends to tune into the game. His mom cried and his dad started screaming and dancing in his office.

Everything went smoothly until warmups. Krebs couldn’t find his helmet, so he took his customary solo lap at Xcel Energy Center without one.

“I didn’t know I was going to go with no helmet, but it was pretty fun,” he said. “Nice to have the flow blow in the wind there.”

The game was, as Krebs put it, “a long time coming.” The 17th overall pick in 2019 worked hard to make Monday a reality after going through so much the past two seasons.

His first year after being drafted started with him rehabbing an Achilles injury and ended with him on the Knights’ postseason roster. He has played for four teams in four different types of competitions this season. He was on Team Canada for the World Junior Championships, the Silver Knights, the Western Hockey League’s Winnipeg Ice and now the Golden Knights.

The last step was a little different from the rest.

“In juniors, it’s not 30-year-old men coming at you and trying to hit you,” Krebs said. “That was a big difference.”

The 20-year-old adapted well and impressed his new team Monday. Coach Pete DeBoer said he wished he had given Krebs more ice time after he played 9:05 in a 6-5 loss to the Wild.

It took the center only four shifts to get his first NHL point when he set up right wing Alex Tuch for a goal in the first period.

“I thought he played really well for us,” said captain Mark Stone, who has let Krebs live with him in the past. “He’s got lots of poise. Moves the puck well. He’s a good guy who’s confident in his ability, you can tell.”

The game showed Krebs’ potential, but it remains to be seen how much he’ll be a part of the Knights’ present. He can play in six regular-season and postseason games before a year is burned on his entry-level contract.

The team will have to decide if it wants to make him a part of its playoff run or save him for future years.

“He didn’t look out of place one time,” left wing Jonathan Marchessault said. “He definitely belongs in the NHL. He’s ready for that. … If he keeps going that way, it’s going to be hard to take him out of the lineup.”

Less preparation for the playoffs

The NHL’s new schedule format means the Knights will have played their first-round playoff opponent eight times before the postseason starts. That means the team doesn’t have to worry about putting together a book or tape on whoever they play. It’s already prepared.

“You can fire your advance scout,” said DeBoer, laughing. “For me, we’re not going to have to waste a lot of time and resources on prescouting the other team. We know what to expect. It’s going to come down to execution and commitment. Who’s willing to pay that price at that time of year in order to win and do the uncomfortable things it takes to win at that time of year.”

Pacioretty update

DeBoer said left wing Max Pacioretty, who missed Monday’s game, is considered day to day with an undisclosed injury.

He said he’s not concerned about Pacioretty being out long term. The 32-year-old leads the Knights and is tied for ninth in the NHL with 24 goals. He is the team’s second-leading scorer with 51 points.

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.

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