C Quinton Byfield (2020, 2nd, LAK) part IV

[ORRFForever]

He's 19, guys.

 

[surixon]

It's way too premature to speculate about anyone from this draft class. Some are doing better then others but it's really early and everyone develops at their own pace.

What is encouraging is so many have already broken into their NHL teams. I think this will turn out to be a real deep draft when all is said and done.

 

[Fatass]

if Byfield fails, it's not going to be because of physical attributes or skating.

What then? He said a very smart player.

 

[Wintersun]

What then? He said a very smart player.

To me, his hockey sense will always be his weakness, but it's not bad enough that it would hold him back from being a top 6 center given the rest of his tools.

 

[Osprey]

orrrrrr you could match that with the eye test and realize I also addressed his time with Brown.

But I know you won't miss an opportunity to try to find fault.

It was very visibly a night and day difference when AA was added to the soup.

Picking out stats that match the eye test and dismissing others isn't a good way to use stats. The stats that suggest that Byfield is worse when playing with Brown and Athanasiou are no more important than those that suggest that Brown and Athanasiou are worse when playing with Byfield. There's really no basis for believing that Byfield, a 19yo with 12 NHL games and 2 points, is elevating or being burdened by a couple of veterans with nearly 1,600 games and 900 points (26 just this season) more than him. I think that he's luckier to play with them than they are to play with him. He needs to develop more before he becomes too good for any possible linemates on this team, IMO.

Something to think about that we may be able to agree on is that the other side of that "night and day difference" was the player that was removed. Byfield, Brown and Grundstrom were clicking pretty well (see the stat line w/o Athanasiou) until Grundstrom was replaced with Athanasiou. Instead of blaming Athanasiou because the line has been bad since he joined it, maybe we should criticize McLellan for breaking up a line that was playing well. I would definitely join you in that. I don't like McLellan any more than you do.

 

[LAKings88]

Byfield still needs to learn to maximize his size and get use to the pace of the NHL. The skill is there tho if developed right..

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Picking out stats that match the eye test and dismissing others isn't a good way to use stats. The stats that suggest that Byfield is worse when playing with Brown and Athanasiou are no more important than those that suggest that Brown and Athanasiou are worse when playing with Byfield. There's really no basis for believing that Byfield, a 19yo with 12 NHL games and 2 points, is elevating or being burdened by a couple of veterans with nearly 1,600 games and 900 points (26 just this season) more than him. I think that he's luckier to play with them than they are to play with him. He needs to develop more before he becomes too good for any possible linemates on this team, IMO.

Something to think about that we may be able to agree on is that the other side of that "night and day difference" was the player that was removed. Byfield, Brown and Grundstrom were clicking pretty well (see the stat line w/o Athanasiou) until Grundstrom was replaced with Athanasiou. Instead of blaming Athanasiou because the line has been bad since he joined it, maybe we should criticize McLellan for breaking up a line that was playing well. I would definitely join you in that. I don't like McLellan any more than you do.

Oh my.

There is plenty of basis to suggest those guys are the problem.

look no further than Trevor Moore, who just had the Kings highest scoring month since Kopitar in 2018 the literal moment he was removed from the third line.

I don't even feel the need to justify any further, anyone watching the Kings wouldn't need the stats to confirm that AA is an absolute liability and Brown is simply a give-and-go pylon and that giving both of those guys to anyone would see a drop in #s and that has held true all year no matter who you staple Brown to. There's just no other way to say it, the eye test and the stats confirm. I cannot fathom anyone going to bat for these guys' NHL competency.

If you want a really fun exercise, you'll also realize that other rookies that have suffered the same fate--ie Turcotte--have posted pretty monster possession numbers until thrown some common anchors...

At this point we all just figure it's TM saying "no one else in the NHL can save this guy so if Byfield can he truly is a superstar." Will certainly agree that breaking up a functional line just to make AA a thing was absolutely stupid and the third time this season Grundstrom has been benched for playing well.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Eager to see what happens after this break since we were on a long roadie--there are some very obvious problems with the Kings including special teams and the third line and it's pretty clear Byfield could be part of the solution for both.

 

[wings5]

Eager to see what happens after this break since we were on a long roadie--there are some very obvious problems with the Kings including special teams and the third line and it's pretty clear Byfield could be part of the solution for both.

Does it look he'll play more than the 9 games? Both the Kings and Reign are in a playoff position also

 

[bsu]

I've watched 3 of his games with my old roommate and ex D partner (who's a season ticket holder of the Kings)... he makes rookie mistakes but you can see the potential. IMO he should be in the AHL dominating and having the puck on his stick more to help define his offensive game. He definitely has the speed/size/skill to play in the NHL right now but he needs to put it together more imo. Seems like the Kings are riding their vets pretty hard.

 

[MuckOG]

Seems like a guy with his size and skill should be producing more offense than he is at the AHL level.

 

[wings5]

Seems like a guy with his size and skill should be producing more offense than he is at the AHL level.

He just came back from being injured at the beginning of the season and was looking really good in the games leading up to his NHL callup . There's also the fact that he's an underager

 

[bsu]

He just came back from being injured at the beginning of the season and was looking really good in the games leading up to his NHL callup . There's also the fact that he's an underager

Which is why he should be developing correctly in the AHL? Or do you think the best path for him is playing 10 minutes in the NHL with 2 plugs. I'm all for slow marinating prospects though for example I have been saying I wish Drysdale was in the AHL to develop his offensive game even more and play in all situations.

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

Let him grow in the NHL, he is a big body and can grow into his offense.

He's 19, guys.

These armchair GMs have no idea what they are talking about. They are so eager to place him in the AHL instead of letting him develop slowly

 

[wings5]

Which is why he should be developing correctly in the AHL? Or do you think the best path for him is playing 10 minutes in the NHL with 2 plugs. I'm all for slow marinating prospects though for example I have been saying I wish Drysdale was in the AHL to develop his offensive game even more and play in all situations.

At the end of the days he's getting experience. If not for the injury he might not have played in the AHL at all this season. Most good prospects get at least a 9 game trial anyways. We'll see what the Kings do afterwards

 

[ORRFForever]

Let him grow in the NHL, he is a big body and can grow into his offense.



These armchair GMs have no idea what they are talking about. They are so eager to place him in the AHL instead of letting him develop slowly

I am not sure what it is about HF posters. Such an angry group - everyone is always looking for something to bitch about.

A person could say 10 things and they will find the one thing they feel they need to rail about and off they go.

 

[Dumpster Flyers]

After watching Byfield more, the one thing that concerns me most is the lack of "flair," so to speak. He has so much raw talent but it will be hard to produce if he's not creating openings in the opposing D by forcing errors or moving the puck laterally. Hopefully that will come with greater confidence. He still looks like a deer in the headlights out there.

 

[grentthealien]

Didn’t even know he was back up in the NHL, he got injured at the beginning of the year and I sort of forgot about him.

Obviously 1 point in 7 games isn’t great production but how has he looked in the limited minutes he’s got so far?

 

[MuckOG]

Let him grow in the NHL, he is a big body and can grow into his offense.

These armchair GMs have no idea what they are talking about. They are so eager to place him in the AHL instead of letting him develop slowly

I don't understand what you mean. Wouldn't "developing him slowly" mean that they would give him time (and minutes) to develop in the AHL and only bring him up to the NHL when he is ready? Sounds like you are suggesting just the opposite; that they should rush him into the NHL before he is ready.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Not exactly an exciting video but an interesting look at the rehab and the road back for QB.

 

[bsu]

I don't understand what you mean. Wouldn't "developing him slowly" mean that they would give him time (and minutes) to develop in the AHL and only bring him up to the NHL when he is ready? Sounds like you are suggesting just the opposite; that they should rush him into the NHL before he is ready.

Yes

 

[MatthewFlames]

Obviously, 1 point in 7 games isn’t great production but how has he looked in the limited minutes he’s got so far?

Very positive from my viewings. He's not getting many minutes but he's playing 200-foot hockey and being more physical than his previous NHL stint. There is still an adjustment period going on, especially with the speed of the game, most notably when he has the puck. A few mistakes here and there but no different than most young players.

 

[ORRFForever]

Very positive from my viewings. He's not getting many minutes but he's playing 200-foot hockey and being more physical than his previous NHL stint. There is still an adjustment period going on, especially with the speed of the game, most notably when he has the puck. A few mistakes here and there but no different than most young players.

Good to hear.

I check out the stats, like I do with LAF, after every game, and, like with LAF, I am (almost) always disappointed. I hope both kids keep improving and are GREAT !!!!

 

[bsu]

Having a really rough game... He should be in the A.

 

[William H Bonney]

As a Kings fan he's not ready for the NHL. He should be in the AHL.