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

[Raccoon Jesus]

Honestly Byfield's in a much better situation than Lafreniere right now, even though the numbers in the AHL probably aren't what everyone expected. There's no pressure on his terrible Ontario Reign team and he can prioritize working on the areas of his game he has to improve. He'll be fine.

I’m curious how he’ll do over the next half-dozen or so games now that the team is starting to gel a bit. Being a C at a YOUNG 18 in the AHL is hard, he’s learning a lot—but when the team was a sad 1-11, it makes him look even worse, especially with the minuses, yet he was still approaching PPG and showing flashes of brilliance. If he can get the ball rolling along with Turcotte (4 in 4 now) and Kaliyev and the other youngsters (and getting some good D-men back is helping too) before having to leave Ontario it will be great for his growth and confidence.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Ok You're right. Byfield is the best prospect from the 2020 draft. I'm a joke that never seen him. I admit it. Stop bullying me please.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Yeah no. Stutzle is great but the guy looks like he has never played defense is his life. In 2017 Hischier came bursting on to the scene. Both Pettersson and Makar are better players but they took longer to develop like Byfield will. As for Sanderson, Drysdale is tracking better than him and I still think it was a mistake to reach for a defenseman in weak class. When their were better players on the board.

Why is Drysdale tracking better, Sanderson has 14 points in 20 games and a plus 18 as a freshman.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

For those interested in his growth and development rather than just motherf***ing him for not being in the NHL: Quinton Byfield ready to make most of shot in NHL, whenever it comes

““Exciting” is a word that came up frequently in my discussion with Emerson, who struggled to find parts of Byfield’s game that haven’t left him impressed.

When pressed, Emerson said it’s Byfield’s skating that’s stood out the most. While he and the Kings knew of his talents before the draft, seeing them first-hand on a daily basis is an entirely different experience.

“His first three steps are absolutely lightning for a big guy and that's when you go, 'Holy cow, I've never seen this out of anyone before,’” he gushed.

“You're thinking back to every player that's gone through here or gone through the league, you see a guy who's 6-5, 220 and he has this ability out of corners to separate or to get out on plays or to go through the neutral zone. We see glimpses of that, and it just gets us out of our seat — it's actually incredible to watch.”

 

[Frolov 6'3]

I find you very optimistic. This is the first No.2 not to play in the NHL +1 draft since Sam Reinhart while No.3 (Stutzle) is dancing.

He has by far the worst +/- in the AHL and he looks very struggling.

Alexis Lafrenière is tough in NHL but at least he's playing in NHL and getting better and better.

The place of Lafrenière is made in NHL while Byfield is waiting behind Kupari and Turcotte.

He wasnt going to be in the NHL anyway if LA took him. Cool story if Reinhart was the last player to be so, and ?

Yes of course he has his fair share of struggles in the AHL. No kidding..he still has a lot to learn.

Without Covid he wouldnt even be able to play in that league until 2022. He was actually one month shy of being 2021 draft eligible.

No it would have been much nicer if he tore up the OHL...than to see him struggle and work hard in a professional league..

 

[driller1]

In the NHL, any given team can win a single game, but the variation in performances at the AHL level is astronomical. Reign started 1 - 10, but are now on a 3 game winning streak with wins over Henderson and Tucson. I think its fair to say the growth in Byfield's game is parallel to the growth of the Reign. The Reign are starting to gel. Maybe the horrible start was a blessing in disguise -- it took the pressure off and the kids could just concentrate on improving.

 

[SFKingshomer]

In the NHL, any given team can win a single game, but the variation in performances at the AHL level is astronomical. Reign started 1 - 10, but are now on a 3 game winning streak with wins over Henderson and Tucson. I think its fair to say the growth in Byfield's game is parallel to the growth of the Reign. The Reign are starting to gel. Maybe the horrible start was a blessing in disguise -- it took the pressure off and the kids could just concentrate on improving.

Turcottes return to the lineup is a huge part of that as well.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Good writeup in the Athletic: Kings prospect Quinton Byfield is developing in the AHL, but a big decision might be coming

I know it's not really anything profound but details how the longer the OHL goes without play, the more likely it is that Quinton remains with the Kings and actually joins the big club when the OHL starts.

With how much he's sponging in the AHL, can't wait to see what he gets spending time with a guy like Anze.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Ok You're right. Byfield is the best prospect from the 2020 draft. I'm a joke that never seen him. I admit it. Stop bullying me please.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Byfield not even a top 10 pick.

I thought I had heard it all, but I guess not, so thanks for that.

 

[Chird Ferguson]

Byfield in 3 years with 15-20 pounds more muscle will be terrifying for the league

 

[Web In Front]

Depending on the odds I would be willing to bet a significant amount of money that Byfield will end up being the best player from his draft.

 

[SFKingshomer]

Byfield not even a top 10 pick.

I thought I had heard it all, but I guess not, so thanks for that.

It’s the guys who watched World Jr and base everything off that tournament...pretty bold take.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Kings thought they took the best player available.

It seems obvious that choosing Byfield was a mistake since Stutzle is much better than him.

If Lafrenière can lose his rank of best player of the 2020 draft ; Byfield is breaking out of the top 10.

Last year already, he was selected high because of his age, his size and his position.

The learning argument is not. Lafrenière and Stutzle also learn.

The point is that more and more players are overtaking Byfield.

This is the reason why I defended the idea that the pressure was much more on Byfield than on Lafrenière.

He is much more worrying and I'm pretty sure LA already regrets her choice.

What a dumb post. More and more players are overtaking a kid who would've been eligible to be drafted in the 2021 draft had he been born a few days later?

I didn't realize these guys just stop developing once they're drafted.

Don't even know why I bothered to respond to this clown...

 

[Scottkmlps]

Kings thought they took the best player available.

It seems obvious that choosing Byfield was a mistake since Stutzle is much better than him.

If Lafrenière can lose his rank of best player of the 2020 draft ; Byfield is breaking out of the top 10.

Last year already, he was selected high because of his age, his size and his position.

The learning argument is not. Lafrenière and Stutzle also learn.

The point is that more and more players are overtaking Byfield.

This is the reason why I defended the idea that the pressure was much more on Byfield than on Lafrenière.

He is much more worrying and I'm pretty sure LA already regrets her choice.

Curious, how many Ontario Reign games have you watched this year?

 

[funky]

The bust just scored a PP goal tonight to go along with his SH goal last game. Not bad for a guy that doesn’t even qualify to be in the league

 

[koyvoo]

Kings thought they took the best player available.

It seems obvious that choosing Byfield was a mistake since Stutzle is much better than him.

If Lafrenière can lose his rank of best player of the 2020 draft ; Byfield is breaking out of the top 10.

Last year already, he was selected high because of his age, his size and his position.

The learning argument is not. Lafrenière and Stutzle also learn.

The point is that more and more players are overtaking Byfield.

This is the reason why I defended the idea that the pressure was much more on Byfield than on Lafrenière.

He is much more worrying and I'm pretty sure LA already regrets her choice.

All this would be true if the name of the gane was picking the best player for ages 18,19,20 years old. I believe the Kings knew full well that Byfield would be a longer development than some of the players they passed on and are banking on him being the best choice in the decade or so following his 20th or 21st birthday. This was actually a general scouting consensus, that he’d need development time. This isn’t the first time, nor the last time that teams look at prospects in this regard. Play the long game, that is.

 

[Dominance]

All this would be true if the name of the gane was picking the best player for ages 18,19,20 years old. I believe the Kings knew full well that Byfield would be a longer development than some of the players they passed on and are banking on him being the best choice in the decade or so following his 20th or 21st birthday. This was actually a general scouting consensus, that he’d need development time. This isn’t the first time, nor the last time that teams look at prospects in this regard. Play the long game, that is.

Exactly. Also, Byfield has played just as many games as a full-time centre in the NHL as Stutzle has. It remains a question mark whether Stutzle will - or should, given his defensive game - make that shift, whereas it’s very clear that Byfield is a C.

 

[Akrapovince]

Byfield is like buying a Tesla stock before it went on its jump....

Sure, there’s other stocks that were higher than Tesla back in the day, but I’m sure stockowners didn’t but the stock that day to evaluate it as is the same day.

I love Jimmy but there’s such an intriguing package that Byfield brings to the table.

Tbh I’m not sure if I’m way off but I honestly see more of a Draisatl mode in Byfield’s game as opposed to Kopitar. Is that just me?

 

[Sting]

Byfield is like buying a Tesla stock before it went on its jump....

Sure, there’s other stocks that were higher than Tesla back in the day, but I’m sure stockowners didn’t but the stock that day to evaluate it as is the same day.

I love Jimmy but there’s such an intriguing package that Byfield brings to the table.

Tbh I’m not sure if I’m way off but I honestly see more of a Draisatl mode in Byfield’s game as opposed to Kopitar. Is that just me?

This has to be one of the strangest analogies I've seen on these boards.

I don't see Draisaitl as a comparable to Byfield stylistically at all. They have a very different game. The Kopitar comparison is usually made because he's not necessarily elite at any one thing, he just does everything well. IE Byfield probably isn't going to win an art ross in his career, but assuming he hits his peak, he would be a good Selke candidate. Draisaitl is way more offensively minded.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Curious, how many Ontario Reign games have you watched this year?

Hey now, I appreciate all the East Coast posters taking such an interest in a minor league team that lost 11 games on the West Coast enough to tell us all who have watched every game how bad Byfield is and how dumb we are.

 

[Frolov 6'3]

Kings thought they took the best player available.

It seems obvious that choosing Byfield was a mistake since Stutzle is much better than him.

If Lafrenière can lose his rank of best player of the 2020 draft ; Byfield is breaking out of the top 10.

Last year already, he was selected high because of his age, his size and his position.

The learning argument is not. Lafrenière and Stutzle also learn.

The point is that more and more players are overtaking Byfield.

This is the reason why I defended the idea that the pressure was much more on Byfield than on Lafrenière.

He is much more worrying and I'm pretty sure LA already regrets her choice.

Even I think Byfield is as raw as it can be and might never be that good but this is just too much **** for me.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Ok You're right. Byfield is the best prospect from the 2020 draft. I'm a joke that never seen him. I admit it. Stop bullying me please.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Still in the denial phase.

I don't have the time or the inclination to stalk Ontario Reign just for Byfield.

Don't worry, we know.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

Still in the denial phase.

Two years ago, I remember the irrational aggressiveness of some nicknames who write here when I said that Lafrenière was much better than Byfield.

Last year it was the same when I said Stutzle was better than Byfield.

The only arguments were the measurements, the date of birth, the position.

You were lobbying so aggressively that it was impossible to think that Anton Lundell was better than Quinton Byfield.

I don't have the time or the inclination to stalk Ontario Reign just for Byfield.

I still saw him play very often and I can see very well what type of player he is.

But if he plays in AHL with the worst +/- it is obviously not ready for the NHL.

Your reactions are all the more ridiculous because I paraphrased NHL players on a podcast because my idea is exactly the same.

I think these players know hockey a lot better than you do.

Your too quick to shun Byfield. He's going to make your posts look foolish as we march into the future