Krueger leaned heavily on Larsson and Girgensons when the Sabres were looking to close their victory over the Penguins last Thursday. The two forwards played 11 and 10 shifts in the third period, respectively, and played key roles on three penalty kills.
Meanwhile, Casey Mittelstadt - who had earned two assists already in that game - only saw one shift after the 5:00 mark of the third. Krueger has emphasized the importance of that role acceptance in the early going, with players being ready based on situational needs.
"I'm trying to make sure that everybody understands they're important," Krueger said. "If you've killed four minutes and somebody else has played power play [for] eight, those might be equal minutes as far as the work and the sacrifice and the investment of energy you have.
"I think that gets lost a lot in the game today, how valuable the players are who play those defensively physical and punishing minutes for us."
Though the Larsson line can generally be counted on for its defensive commitment and offensive simplicity, the trio has shown an ability to contribute on the score sheet so far as well. Girgensons and Okposo both had breakaway chances in Pittsburgh. A heavy forecheck led to a crucial goal from Okposo against New Jersey on Saturday.
Against the Devils, in 8:28 with the three forwards on the ice at five-on-five, shots attempts were in Buffalo's favor by a margin of 8-2. It was the highest shot attempt share of any of the Sabres' four lines.
"They lead the way in really playing simple," Krueger said. "Hard forechecking, they're getting the pucks in deep, they're getting on it, they're having some strong offensive shifts."
Look no further than Okposo for an example of role acceptance. He skated just 10:05 Thursday but still managed to make a vital impact at a time when the Sabres' deficit had just been cut to one. Krueger views the veteran as an option to jump up in the lineup and on the power play when the situation calls for it.