Prospect Info: Quinton Byfield (2nd Overall 2020 Draft) Discussion part II

[bmr]

It’s hard to know really with QB. I think a lot of it is mental and a lot of it is just that he’s not that skilled. He never struck me as a very talented player. I always saw him as a quick center with size and good shot and pretty good vision. That’s why I never liked the Byfield pick but was holding out hope we’d see something but he shows like flashes of skill every other game ? That’s cool and all but what player on the Kings right now besides iafallo shows flashes of skill every other game.

Byfield needs some serious sports psychologist and to be a lot better. It’s not easy for a lot of young players but he shouldn’t look this bad.

The last two times where he’s shown skill was that really good pass to I forgot to who and the last time was when he came off the bench with speed and they fed him a pass. I can’t recall him doing anything other than that.

This whole age thing is so overblown, he shouldn’t look THIS bad for being drafted that high. I understand wanting to use age as a crutch is comforting but he just looks bad. It’s impossible to just blow everything off to age. Sure believe it but you can’t deny the fact that his play alone is very concerning

Sol,

I gotta disagree with you here. I'm not concerned at all with his play. QB is very skilled but needs time to develop into a pro. We chose him for his high ceiling. His combination of size, speed and skill are extremely rare in this game and that's why you take him. Kopi and other NHL players coming into the league at 19 probably had more polish and offense but Byfield is on a different trajectory.

Does he really look THAT bad? It's hard to assess his season when he's bouncing back from an injury and playing with linemates who haven't generated much offense. He's looked pretty good with Kupari and Vilardi and that should increase his confidence. I would give that line a few games to see how they gel. Last night's game alone should open your eyes to the possibilities.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Don't overlook that on the first goal he was the touch of the puck breaking it out of the zone and then outskated Roamin' Josi and two other preds to the front of their net by a body length.

Wasn't like he plodded by some slow dman. Sometimes he doesn't look like it--kopitar syndrome--but dude is an absolutely electric skater with an insane top end speed.

 

[Statto]

I don’t think QB got enough credit from some for his first goal. Early in the play he made a nice simple pass on transition and at that point he had 3 Preds around him. He then got on his bike and drove through the middle finding the space. Absolutely Kupari made a great play and the Preds were puck watching but Byfield was no passenger that just got lucky being in the right place at the right time (as some implied). I like that despite his confidence being shaken he hasn’t gone into hiding, plenty of guys disappear after the first miss.

 

[Statto]

Don't overlook that on the first goal he was the touch of the puck breaking it out of the zone and then outskated Roamin' Josi and two other preds to the front of their net by a body length.

Wasn't like he plodded by some slow dman. Sometimes he doesn't look like it--kopitar syndrome--but dude is an absolutely electric skater with an insane top end speed.

Lol. Hadn’t read your post…

 

[Peter James Bond II]

I love that Danault is working with Quinton and believes in him. I think this will get QB to where he needs to be faster. Danault quotes from a few weeks ago.
I feel better, when I read this. QB is better off with the Kings, than playing with the Reign, period. end of discussion. You cannot argue the difference between being in the NHL and working with Danault, than being in the AHL and getting 20 minutes a night there. Now that he is playing with Kupari and Vilardi, all 3 of them will grow together. They are all determined. Todd told the 3 to go out and be physical and look what happened. QB called Kupari 'amazing'. And just last week, no one here thought Gabe would be recalled again this year. Hope they do NOT put AA in for any of these 3. I think Lias goes out again, when Arvy is back.

"Danault said he has been talking a lot with Byfield. There’s few better teachers than Kopitar and Danault in helping with all the aspects of the game.
“We talk about faceoffs and players, in general,” Danault said. “What it takes to win. We talk about that, to be honest. He’s dedicated. He wants to be better and wants to help the team a lot too. I can see it. I can feel it. I think everyone sees it
“He’s going to be huge for us very soon.” (goosebumps)

 

[ORRFForever]

How was the follow up game to his 3 point performance?

 

[Schmooley]

How was the follow up game to his 3 point performance?

Unmemorable

 

[King'sPawn]

How was the follow up game to his 3 point performance?

Not very strong. Better than his worst though.

I'm not concerned. Young players need to learn consistency.

 

[ru4reals]

How was the follow up game to his 3 point performance?

Had a great game the other day, then Todd decides to take him out of the second unit Powerplay and keep Iafailo in the 1st unit and Arvidsson takes his spot. Except it should have been if anything, Arvi move up to the first unit and keep that 2nd unit the same as the other day. I f***ken hate this coach.

 

[Herby]

How was the follow up game to his 3 point performance?

Not good. Every time we think he is going to turn the corner with a good game he follows it up with a few duds.

 

[Statto]

Not good. Every time we think he is going to turn the corner with a good game he follows it up with a few duds.

Like the team then. It’s hard to judge when we then follow up with a poor team performance. I fully expect inconsistency with rookies but when the team as a whole plays poorly in games where you’d like the 3rd line to get a few extra minutes it really doesn’t help.

I’m more interested in spells of something like 5 games to see if he’s trending up. So I’ll give it another few games before deciding if a corner has been turned, you can’t judge it game to game. If he’s scoreless over the next 4 games then you’d have to think the corner is still ahead of him, but even then it’s not that simple.

 

[ORRFForever]

Not good. Every time we think he is going to turn the corner with a good game he follows it up with a few duds.

You see the same thing with LAF.

 

[dman3474]

This summer he needs to go beast mode in the gym with Gary Roberts. Once he gets some man strength on him it will help a ton.

 

[HowDareYou]

Brian Boyle 2.0

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Brian Boyle 2.0

Yeah, no. Boyle never had the skill or skating that Byfield has exhibited. Try again.

 

[Dog as Man]

Thinking that Quinton is focused on defense first. He's been really tenacious and that is harder for an offensively oriented player to excel at. He has rarely hurt the team's defense. It's especially important with our young defense not to hang them out to dry.
I believe that set of new skills will make him a much much better player when all is said and done. I'm a fan.

 

[tbrown33]

Thinking that Quinton is focused on defense first. He's been really tenacious and that is harder for an offensively oriented player to excel at. He has rarely hurt the team's defense. It's especially important with our young defense not to hang them out to dry.
I believe that set of new skills will make him a much much better player when all is said and done. I'm a fan.

it’s true, his defensive metrics are actually pretty good

 

[JeanBlanc]

Well, Byfield hasn't been avoiding contact this past several games. Dirty area of the forecheck. Winning board battles. Nice progression.

 

[LAKings88]

That dagger poke check is pretty effective along the boards.

 

[cyclones22]

Another good game from the kid. You can tell when his confidence is high and when it is, he looks much better out there.

 

[Chazz Reinhold]

Another good game from the kid. You can tell when his confidence is high and when it is, he looks much better out there.

He was very close to pulling off a slick between-the-legs move in the slot in the second period.

 

[kilowatt]

If we split Byfield's performance into ten-game sprints:

1. 1/20 — 2/19: 1 goal, 0 assists, -3, 12 shots, 11:22 TOI
2. 2/23 — 3/12: 1 goal, 1 assist, +1, 11 shots, 11:22 TOI
3. 3/13 — 3/30: 3 goals, 2 assists, -5, 8 shots, 14:09 TOI (only 9 games)

Not really sure what to make of it. His three-point game is really propping up this last stretch and two of his goals were ghost goals if I'm remembering correctly, but he passes the eye test a lot more in the past 9 games than the previous 20.

 

[Statto]

If we split Byfield's performance into ten-game sprints:

1. 1/20 — 2/19: 1 goal, 0 assists, -3, 12 shots, 11:22 TOI
2. 2/23 — 3/12: 1 goal, 1 assist, +1, 11 shots, 11:22 TOI
3. 3/13 — 3/30: 3 goals, 2 assists, -5, 8 shots, 14:09 TOI (only 9 games)

Not really sure what to make of it. His three-point game is really propping up this last stretch and two of his goals were ghost goals if I'm remembering correctly, but he passes the eye test a lot more in the past 9 games than the previous 20.

I don’t remember the third of his last three goals, but 2 of them at least were decent goals. The most telling number at this stage is TOI. He is starting to earn more ice time and has improved defensively (beyond +/-) and as you say he’s passing the eye test better.

It’s almost if he’s coming of a major injury and is now starting to feel more comfortable

 

[Peter James Bond II]

QB is looking better and had a good game vs the Oil....but he's still looking like more of a finesse player, instead of a power forward. It's mainly due to being 19 and not being nearly done growing, filling out and adding muscle. I recall when Kyle Clifford made the Kings and was playing at 18...he kind of freakishly had a man's body. That's not the norm.

It seems even just 2 years from now, QB wil be more of a physical force and less finnesse, but he'll probably always have finnesse, as that is his style. He looks 6'5" 200 right now, even though he's apparently 220.

 

[Sol]

The only thing he’s doing poorly right now is holding on to the puck but I really think his baby’s first Franklin hockey stick is the issue. Having more length to hold the puck on to and move around with surprisingly is better than a shorter stick. Hope he can change that over the season.