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C Quinton Byfield - Sudbury Wolves, OHL (2020 Draft) II

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Sick Nuzuki said:
I don't know about Stutzle being a hockey smart player. I mean he's got good vision for sure but he is weaker defensively and generally follows a set play (like most 17 year olds). When he does get that acceleration past the D, hes good at finding the passing lane (as is Byfield)but defensively I find him getting puck lost and puck watching at times (like a 17 year old often does). I find he's very Barzal like at carrying the puck moreso than the Marner comparable I often hear but thats its own thing

But yeah, neither Byfield nor Stutzle are low IQ players imho even though they have much of the same flaws. Only difference I find is that Stutzle can keep his head up a bit better when hes forced in the corner after accelerating past a D
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Marner is a very good PK guy. I think Byfield could develop into a similar PK guy, but I don’t see PK in Stutzle’s NHL future.
 
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Hen Kolland said:
Again, the performances at big events are moreso tied to the extent of which his game is raw, not due to the lack of ability. If he truly lacked the ability to think the game at a high level, he would not be a consensus lottery pick. Now that's not to say he should be held in the same discussion as Lafreniere or Perfetti in terms of being the smartest player in the draft, but he's every bit as "smart" as someone like Stutzle in my eyes. The dimension of his physical abilities, his shot, his skating, layered on a good, not exceptional hockey brain is why he absolutely should go #2, and should be closer to #1 than #3.
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In your opinion. It’s looking more and more like he’s going to go #3 after a bunch of posters told me he will pass Lafreniere this season. This is largely due to concerns about his hockey IQ (as has been mentioned by numerous scouts as well). This was more evident at big events when competition was higher.
 
Sick Nuzuki said:
I don't know about Stutzle being a hockey smart player.
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That's kind of my point. Now I will be up front in saying that I am not on the Stutzle hype train, and a lot of that is due to the fact that I'm not in love with his style of play. But nobody really questions Stutzle's IQ level the way that they do Byfield's, but there are similarities between the two. Stutzle is lauded as a great playmaker, with great vision, and will be a very good play driver at the NHL level. Byfield is questioned whether he's smart enough to produce at the next level. Seems disingenuous.

I can't help but feel like this does come back to the perception of how he is effective in the OHL. People think he produces despite his IQ, and I think he produces more because of it. And if we really want to get into it, I think Marco Rossi's game reflected more of the bully style of strength and possession hockey than Byfield's did this year. But yet the perception of Rossi is that he's undersized and not a superb skater, so he must get by on skill and IQ, and Byfield is the big power forward who is only any good because he's bigger, stronger, and faster than everyone on the ice. Again, disingenuous.
 
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Byfield's hockey IQ may not be elite or up there with the top 2 or 3 guys this year, BUT, it is above average. It is better than most players in the draft and combined with the size and skill it is a great package.
 
I don't see a lack of IQ. More of a lack of willingness to engage at times, which seems consistent with him being very young for his draft age, and also being a huge kid who isn't even close to growing into his body. Sort of a Casey Mittelstadt, if he were 5" taller, 30 lbs heavier, much stronger, and faster.
Having said all that, the guy matched Perfetti(Mr. Hockey IQ) for PPG this year, didn't he? I mean, what is he going to be like once he grows into his body, and starts developing man muscle?
I do see him make clever plays that show nice vision, and sweet hands.

I don't know who I'd compare him to. Getzlaf doesn't seem right. Schiefele, maybe? I can't remember what Malkin was like pre draft.
 
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57special said:
I don't see a lack of IQ. More of a lack of willingness to engage at times, which seems consistent with him being very young for his draft age, and also being a huge kid who isn't even close to growing into his body. Sort of a Casey Mittelstadt, if he were 5" taller, 30 lbs heavier, much stronger, and faster.
Having said all that, the guy matched(or near enough) Rossi for PPG this year, didn't he? I mean, what is he going to be like once he grows into his body, and starts developing man muscle?
I do see him make clever plays that show nice vision, and sweet hands.

I don't know who I'd compare him to. Getzlaf doesn't seem right. Schiefele, maybe? I can't remember what Malkin was like pre draft.
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I see this as well much more than a lack of IQ. You don't get a lot of cycle highlights and you'd like to see him use his frame more when he is in those situations. That, however, is part of what makes him so enticing: it is going to be scary for NHL defensemen to try and handle him once he becomes a man and plays like one. It is a bit disingenuous to say "he doesn't use his size" since his wingspan and ability to move the puck so many feet across his body while stick handling does allow him to make moves other guys can't but he just isn't doing a lot of leaning on guys and/or imposing his will. It's really like he is putting up over 1.80 PPG as a 17 year old--for the entire season--because of his skill set and not because he is bigger than most everyone else. The home run potential is so high which is why I will be upset if LA passes on him. Great prospect pool but there doesn't appear to be that Kopitar/Doughty level type of prospect.

As for the IQ criticisms, do coaches generally let bonehead centers run the point on the power play?
 
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Hen Kolland said:
That's kind of my point. Now I will be up front in saying that I am not on the Stutzle hype train, and a lot of that is due to the fact that I'm not in love with his style of play. But nobody really questions Stutzle's IQ level the way that they do Byfield's, but there are similarities between the two. Stutzle is lauded as a great playmaker, with great vision, and will be a very good play driver at the NHL level. Byfield is questioned whether he's smart enough to produce at the next level. Seems disingenuous.

I can't help but feel like this does come back to the perception of how he is effective in the OHL. People think he produces despite his IQ, and I think he produces more because of it. And if we really want to get into it, I think Marco Rossi's game reflected more of the bully style of strength and possession hockey than Byfield's did this year. But yet the perception of Rossi is that he's undersized and not a superb skater, so he must get by on skill and IQ, and Byfield is the big power forward who is only any good because he's bigger, stronger, and faster than everyone on the ice. Again, disingenuous.
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I'm someone a lot lower on Rossi than most for those exact reasons. He's a fantastic player right now but I don't see him being able to be a significant NHL contributer unless be becomes a completely different player.

I think it's the classic story of Byfield being so heavily touted gets ripped to shreds and people look for reasons to doubt him while the risers like Rossi and Stutzle get to be the hot off the press studs who get praised for their strengths rather than examined through a critical light.

Happens every year, the top guys get doubted, the risers get more optimism.
 
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Worst case scenario would be that he turns into a Strome, I guess? I don't really see that, but...an old school comparison might be Pete Mahovlich( who was also a huge #2oa pick)? The Little M could be brilliant, was very big and talented, but had trouble putting it all together for his whole career.
 
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worse case scenario is you put him on the wing and tell him to use his size, speed and skill to go to the net. Pair him with a higher IQ centre that will get him the puck. Kid has hands and skill to finish.
 
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57special said:
Worst case scenario would be that he turns into a Strome, I guess? I don't really see that, but...an old school comparison might be Pete Mahovlich( who was also a huge #2oa pick)? The Little M could be brilliant, was very big and talented, but had trouble putting it all together for his whole career.
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Worst case scenario (outside of injuries), is he's a 3rd line energy winger like Sam Bennett. Not that, that is the likely outcome.
 
MBH said:
No more talking up Byfield from me. I think there's a 25 percent chance he drops to 4.
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Sure if he has some catastrophic injury before the actual draft.

I doubt there is more than a 1% chance that he drops to 4th and a 97% chance he gets picked 2nd.
 
wetcoast said:
Sure if he has some catastrophic injury before the actual draft.

I doubt there is more than a 1% chance that he drops to 4th and a 97% chance he gets picked 2nd.
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I think it's 50/50 between Stutzle/Byfield.
And 50/50 that one guy jumps into the top 3 unexpectedly.
 
Sick Nuzuki said:
I think that's an optimistic number for sure. Id wager 80/20 he goes before Stutzle. Being LA that's drafting him factors into that number.
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I wouldn't go that high. GTA Mike is no longer there. It's a relatively new regime, whose views may not be represented looking at prior draft history. I'd say its still a coin-flip. Personally, I'd take Stutzle, but I'm not going to raise any serious objections to someone who prefers Byfield.
 
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I dont really see him as a guy that just gets thrown at wing.

He plays a solid 2-way game, he's got the ability to cover a lot of ice, decent at faceoffs. Even if he struggles a little at NHL speed in terms of playmaking, I think you're only losing some of what makes him so attractive by moving him away from center.
 
He will absolutely be a center IMO, it just remains to be seen how high in the lineup he will be. The raw skills/size are enough to make him a very good #3C at the very minimum
 
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I'm not Byfield's biggest fan, but he's absolutely a center at the NHL level. Probably the safest bet in the draft to stick at C.
 
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Bob McKenzie said LA is more interested in Stutzle than Byfield, and if he’s saying that you can take that to the bank.

Congrats Ottawa, you have hit the jack pot! Quinton Byfield available at 3??? Yeeeesh. He and Tkachuk are going to terrorize the rest of the league.
 
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Nabrules said:
Bob McKenzie said LA is more interested in Stutzle than Byfield, and if he’s saying that you can take that to the bank.

Congrats Ottawa, you have hit the jack pot! Quinton Byfield available at 3??? Yeeeesh. He and Tkachuk are going to terrorize the rest of the league.
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Where was this said? “ LA might be a team that in my mind that might have more interest in a guy like Stutzle than Byfield.”
 
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