2019 NHL draft profile: Peyton Krebs, an impressive center Flyers should like

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The 2019 NHL entry draft is Friday and Saturday in Vancouver, British Columbia. General manager Chuck Fletcher, assistant general manager Brent Flahr and the Flyers hold the 11th overall pick and nine selections in total.

"This draft's a little unique," Flahr said last week. "Especially in the top 15, there are a number of different types of players, which is interesting — some power wingers, some smaller scoring wingers, some centermen, there's a number of D, a goaltender.

"We've identified probably five or six guys that we think have a chance to be there at 11 and probably some of the other teams in front of us will dictate that. But we're really confident we're going to get a good player."

This week, we will break down options for the Flyers at No. 11.

Peyton Krebs

Position: Center
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 183
Shoots: Left
Team: Winnipeg ICE

Scouting report

If Krebs was on a more competitive junior team in 2018-19, his offensive production could have been through the roof. He scored 68 points (19 goals, 49 assists) over 64 regular-season games for the ICE, who went 13-45-10 in the WHL.

Krebs is an elusive and intelligent playmaker. With top talent around him, he scored 10 points (six goals, four assists) in seven games for Canada during the U-18 IIHF World Junior Championship.

He has a little bit of Sean Couturier in him with the way he thinks and plays the game. Interestingly, his ICE head coach is James Patrick, the uncle of Flyers center Nolan Patrick.

One caveat for now is that Krebs suffered a partial tear of his Achilles this offseason.

"It's unfortunate, but he's an unbelievable kid character-wise, drive," Flahr said. "He'll miss some time but he's young, he'll heal fully. I don't think it's going to drop him too far in the draft. We'll know more about it as we get closer to the draft. 

"Basically what I've been told is he's going to miss the summer. It's not ideal, but at the same time, he's going to get back to where he was."

Fit with Flyers

Flahr talked about how difficult it is to find true centers at the age of 18. The Flyers, like so many other NHL teams, are always looking to build depth at center.

"It's a hard position, you have to be smart," Flahr said. "Not only skill and vision, but you have to be responsible in the back end, be able to play a 200-foot game and be trusted by your coaches.

"It's a must-have position and it takes a long time for players to learn to play correctly. There are very few Crosbys that can come in the league and play that way."

The Flyers went center early in the 2016 and 2017 drafts. Krebs would be a fine pick if he's available. Many have him in the Nos. 9-12 range. He could fall with the injury and if he's up for grabs at No. 11, the Flyers will likely be interested.

"Centermen are hard to get and if they're there, typically they don't last very long in the first round, the top ones anyway," Flahr said.

More on the 2019 NHL draft

• Flyers take one of draft's best D-men in this 1st-round mock

Trading No. 11 pick? Draft dynamic? That and more here

Flyers like 'unique' winger Boldy as option for No. 11 overall pick

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