Kings News: Byfield signs 5 year, $6.25M per extension

[Raccoon Jesus]

I notice when QB gets hot for a period, these posts come out about how he's the best player in the draft.. but then he usually follows it up with about 20 game drought.. then I see bust posters come out a bit. So were just in the upswing of the cycle again. The fact that he's producing at center is new positive that we didnt have before. The other thing on his side is that he hasnt gotten a continued look on PP1 which would improve his numbers.. but until like the last few weeks, the dude couldnt hit the net from the slot with nobody on him. His defense and PK are great, so he's cemented his floor at a pretty high level... still has a way to go before he's the redraft #1.

Yeah I have all the time in the world for arguments about his consistency

Zero time to bother with the people who suggest Stutzle is better and QB's upside not even close, as that's demonstrably untrue

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Yeah I have all the time in the world for arguments about his consistency

Zero time to bother with the people who suggest Stutzle is better and QB's upside not even close, as that's demonstrably untrue

How is it demonstrably untrue to say Stutzle is a better center right now?

It’s charitable to suggest that Byfield - assuming he can sustain his current production over a full season - may become the better player. But until then, Stutzle is the better player, and that shouldn’t be a controversial position.

No amount of PKing or defense bridges the gap between a 90pt center and a 55pt center. Byfield has a long way to go offensively before he can make up the gap there. Is that an unreasonable argument?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

How is it demonstrably untrue to say Stutzle is a better center right now?

It’s charitable to suggest that Byfield - assuming he can sustain his current production over a full season - may become the better player. But until then, Stutzle is the better player, and that shouldn’t be a controversial position.

No amount of PKing or defense bridges the gap between a 90pt center and a 55pt center. Byfield has a long way to go offensively before he can make up the gap there. Is that an unreasonable argument?

We are talking about right now, right?

"Since the beginning of Feb at even strength:
-60.65 CF%--best on kings
-75 GF%--15 GF, 5GA, best on kings
-61.23 xgf%--best on kings
-71.43% High danger--best on kings by a significant amount

all of the above are hovering around 10% better relative to team

-13 even strength points, 3 more than 2nd place; 3 goals (5th) and 10 assists (1st) (and before we harp on the goals, his linemate is leading)...13 even strength points is 2nd in the entire NHL in that time span and 10 assists, no one has more in that timespan. And none of those other guys are playing the hard minutes and very few are playing C at all.

-PKing with Foegele has that pairing the best xGF% on the PK on the Kings in that time and one of the best xgas"


Like he was literally producing at an NHL-best level AND being dominant defensively at ES and on the PK.

If the question is 'can he sustain that'--yes, i have all day for that. If the question is QB can't even be close to Stutzle, well, quite literally, lately he's been better. But I get the feeling you simply missed the rest of that statement which was "Zero time to bother with the people who suggest Stutzle is better and QB's upside not even close, as that's demonstrably untrue" because I don't see any logical way to take the above upside and suggest it's not even close.

 

[Statto]

I notice when QB gets hot for a period, these posts come out about how he's the best player in the draft.. but then he usually follows it up with about 20 game drought.. then I see bust posters come out a bit. So were just in the upswing of the cycle again. The fact that he's producing at center is new positive that we didnt have before. The other thing on his side is that he hasnt gotten a continued look on PP1 which would improve his numbers.. but until like the last few weeks, the dude couldnt hit the net from the slot with nobody on him. His defense and PK are great, so he's cemented his floor at a pretty high level... still has a way to go before he's the redraft #1.

Agree with that, he’s not there yet. I believe he will get there and I know we all hope he does.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

We are talking about right now, right?

"Since the beginning of Feb at even strength:
-60.65 CF%--best on kings
-75 GF%--15 GF, 5GA, best on kings
-61.23 xgf%--best on kings
-71.43% High danger--best on kings by a significant amount

all of the above are hovering around 10% better relative to team

-13 even strength points, 3 more than 2nd place; 3 goals (5th) and 10 assists (1st) (and before we harp on the goals, his linemate is leading)...13 even strength points is 2nd in the entire NHL in that time span and 10 assists, no one has more in that timespan. And none of those other guys are playing the hard minutes and very few are playing C at all.

-PKing with Foegele has that pairing the best xGF% on the PK on the Kings in that time and one of the best xgas"


Like he was literally producing at an NHL-best level AND being dominant defensively at ES and on the PK.

If the question is 'can he sustain that'--yes, i have all day for that. If the question is QB can't even be close to Stutzle, well, quite literally, lately he's been better. But I get the feeling you simply missed the rest of that statement which was "Zero time to bother with the people who suggest Stutzle is better and QB's upside not even close, as that's demonstrably untrue" because I don't see any logical way to take the above upside and suggest it's not even close.

The ONLY question is whether he can sustain that.

The NHL is littered with players who have put together “NHL best” statistics over a couple months. By your own logic, Byfield’s current streak makes him better than Mcdavid, too. Every player has hot streaks. Consistency is what separates the great from the very good.

You don’t need to elevator pitch me on QB’s current streak. I can read the statistics, too. He has been playing great. Lost in all of these QB debates is the fact I advocated drafting him in 2020. I believe in his potential. But until he actually reaches that potential, this is all just meaningless conjecture.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

The ONLY question is whether he can sustain that.

The NHL is littered with players who have put together “NHL best” statistics over a couple months. By your own logic, Byfield’s current streak makes him better than Mcdavid, too. Every player has hot streaks. Consistency is what separates the great from the very good.

You don’t need to elevator pitch me on QB’s current streak. I can read the statistics, too. He has been playing great. Lost in all of these QB debates is the fact I advocated drafting him in 2020. I believe in his potential. But until he actually reaches that potential, this is all just meaningless conjecture.

I mean your tone says you're arguing with me but your words say you're agreeing with me, haha.

All I said that started the whole thing was that hopefully this streak of him at C in 1st line minutes without PP time makes people realize he "can" do it and the question is more consistency than upside

 

[FSL KINGS]

In opposite land, sure.

To be charitable to Byfield, there’s a chance he may still become a better overall player, but right now he’s nowhere close to Stutzle.

At some point we have to judge these players on what they’re actually doing instead of conjecturing about what could or would or should happen in some unfalsifiable future.

Career
Byfield. +36
Stützle. -63

Byfield is the more effective player right now. Defense wins championships. Byfield growing into a shutdown center that can go up against the league's top players is more valuable than a creative, diving Stützle who is about an -A, +B on the star scale.

Rantenenen just got moved. Marner has a good chance at being available. Petterson is probably available. Huberdeau is definitely available.

You can always find an offense only Star player. Barkov > 97

 

[SettlementRichie10]

I mean your tone says you're arguing with me but your words say you're agreeing with me, haha.

All I said that started the whole thing was that hopefully this streak of him at C in 1st line minutes without PP time makes people realize he "can" do it and the question is more consistency than upside

If that’s the case then no, we never had any disagreement lol. I think the question of potential was answered last year. I honestly think QB’s ceiling is higher than Kopitar’s.

I suppose my overall issue with the QB debate is the total refusal to acknowledge that Stutzle is already a great player. I’m not saying you do this specifically, but it’s a trend around sports in general in which to make someone shine brighter we’re blowing out someone else’s candles.

The Byfield/Stutzle debate may last forever with compelling arguments both ways. However, I don’t think it’s fair to Stutzle to say these arguments are not tilted in his favor as of 2025. That’s all.

Career
Byfield. +36
Stützle. -63

Byfield is the more effective player right now. Defense wins championships. Byfield growing into a shutdown center that can go up against the league's top players is more valuable than a creative, diving Stützle who is about an -A, +B on the star scale.

Rantenenen just got moved. Marner has a good chance at being available. Petterson is probably available. Huberdeau is definitely available.

You can always find an offense only Star player. Barkov > 97

Marner is a “offense only” player? You realize he was a Selke finalist last year, right?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

You can always find an offense only Star player. Barkov > 97

Oohh that's spicy

but it does remind me of how the conversations about prime Kopitar went.

Do I think Kopitar is raw better than Crosby? No. But who do I prefer head to head? I'd take Kopitar vs. every C of his generation except Crosby, I think. Barkov is similar, but he at least gets the love because of the east coast.

We'd be so lucky if Byfield ended up being close to that, but that's how I see the conversation developing already. Like again, small sample size, but I've NEVER seen a center blackhole another elite center as hard as Byfield did to Eichel the other night. That's more valuable than 90 raw points when the games matter--Kopitar was good for 70ish points, but he turned your 100 point scorer into a 40 point puddle. Byfield lately has been PPG and turned a guy on a 102 point +36 pace into a weeping puddle of dash 2...QB only scored 1 goal but the rest of the value is right there.

 

[Herby]

Pretty sure Stutzle would be the unanimous 1. The historical data for players who produce that kind of offense in their first five years would say he is well on track to a HOF career. This guys been facing top checkers since his rookie year and has consistently produced high levels of offense for a player of his age.

The thing I'll never understand (and I assume the question will never be asked), In October 2020 why did the Kings draft what multiple members of their organization called, "A long-term project" who "won't really hit his peak until 25" only to end their rebuild and attempt to contend in a narrow window with 11/8 a mere 9 months later? It is an all-time contradiction by an organization, but par for the course for this management team.

I was onboard with QB and playing a longer game, because I naturally assumed that the Kings would be picking very high through the 2023 draft and would not do something as foolish as they did in July 2021. But if the plan all along was to try and contend with 11 and 8 starting in the 2021/2022 season then they absolutely should have taken Stutzle. Even if Byfield catches Stutzle, it still doesn't erase the years where the Kings were "contending" and Stutzle was playing at an all-star level and Byfield was playing at a replacement level. The Kings may have been able to win one of the first two series vs. EDM with a guy like Stutzle.

But it's apparent that Blake really doesn't have any kind of plan, he is one of the most reactive GM's I've ever seen in professional sports, the complete opposite of what the Kings had with Lombardi.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Pretty sure Stutzle would be the unanimous 1. The historical data for players who produce that kind of offense in their first five years would say he is well on track to a HOF career. This guys been facing top checkers since his rookie year and has consistently produced high levels of offense for a player of his age.

The thing I'll never understand (and I assume the question will never be asked), In October 2020 why did the Kings draft what multiple members of their organization called, "A long-term project" who "won't really hit his peak until 25" only to end their rebuild and attempt to contend in a narrow window with 11/8 a mere 9 months later? It is an all-time contradiction by an organization, but par for the course for this management team.

I was onboard with QB and playing a longer game, because I naturally assumed that the Kings would be picking very high through the 2023 draft and would not do something as foolish as they did in July 2021. But if the plan all along was to try and contend with 11 and 8 starting in the 2021/2022 season then they absolutely should have taken Stutzle. Even if Byfield catches Stutzle, it still doesn't erase the years where the Kings were "contending" and Stutzle was playing at an all-star level and Byfield was playing at a replacement level. The Kings may have been able to win one of the first two series vs. EDM with a guy like Stutzle.

But it's apparent that Blake really doesn't have any kind of plan, he is one of the most reactive GM's I've ever seen in professional sports, the complete opposite of what the Kings had with Lombardi.

This is my exact position down to a tee. And also why I strongly advocated for Byfield back in 2020. I thought we’d be drafting top five for another couple years at the minimum.

Stutzle was undeniably a better pick for the “win now” strategy. And it’s also undeniable that Byfield’s development was hindered by this same idiotic win now strategy.

No matter where you fall on this debate, all roads lead to Blake = idiot.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

It kind of begs the question that i'm not sure i want the answer to

But if the Kings draft Stutzle, i doubt they trade for Fiala....so what kind of shenanigans do they get into with those assets instead?

It's rhetorical, but I can only imagine the answers lol

 

[AbsentMojo]

This is my exact position down to a tee. And also why I strongly advocated for Byfield back in 2020. I thought we’d be drafting top five for another couple years at the minimum.

Stutzle was undeniably a better pick for the “win now” strategy. And it’s also undeniable that Byfield’s development was hindered by this same idiotic win now strategy.

No matter where you fall on this debate, all roads lead to Blake = idiot.

Perfect except I think Blake was a stooge for Luc and his cabal - they should also be given dunce caps.. and allowing Luc to run roughshod over hockey operations special mentioned should also be given to AEG/beckerman

 

[johnjm22]

Here's elite prospects redraft .. looks more rational to me (has Faber up at 5 which should pls some on this forum)

2020 NHL Redraft Top 10 Ranking - Elite Prospects

User submitted ranking at Eliteprospects.com - 2020 NHL Redraft Top 10 Ranking

www.eliteprospects.com

Crazy to think LA landed 2 of the top 5 players in the whole draft.

Those are usually the type of drafts that contenders are built on.

 

[Herby]

Crazy to think LA landed 2 of the top 5 players in the whole draft.

Those are usually the type of drafts that contenders are built on.

They also got Laf, who is a solid middle six guy who could have 30 goal upside down the road. The 2020 draft ended up being what everyone thought 2019 was going to be.

If only Blake had told Faber, "Great, go dominate one more year in college and we will see you in LA after your season ends" , that is what most teams would have done with a guy like Faber, but I'm sure Blake was butt-hurt that he preferred to play for the Minnesota Golden Gophers over the Ontario Reign.