Stutzle or Byfield

[Sens Vader]

These two guys are seemingly going 2 and 3 in the 2020 draft..

who will be the better player?

Click to read more...

 

[hamzarocks]

They are 100% not going 1 and 2. You mean 2 and 3. I think both are very close. I like byfield for his size but think stuzle will reach his top ceiling sooner.

 

[Sens Vader]

They are 100% not going 1 and 2. You mean 2 and 3. I think both are very close. I like byfield for his size but think stuzle will reach his top ceiling sooner.

whoops, typo!

 

[ORRFForever]

It's tough because Byfield was so meh at the WJR's, while Stutzle looked great.

Having said that, Stutzle got to be a star on a team without stars, while Byfield was a young insignificant player on a talented team.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

It's tough because Byfield was so meh at the WJR's, while Stutzle looked great.

Having said that, Stutzle got to be a star on a team without stars, while Byfield was a young insignificant player on a talented team.

Meh, I think Byfield blew his chance to be a significant player with his play, went from being on the second line to start and became the 13th forward by the end. It was clear the pace of play was too advanced for him at that stage. He should be more than fine for 2021's tourney if he doesn't stick in the NHL next season.

As for the poll, Stutzle, but not by a lot. Both are excellent players and worthy top 3 picks.

 

[Minnesnota]

Byfield by a country mile.

 

[KnuckChuckinTkachuk]

Meh, I think Byfield blew his chance to be a significant player with his play, went from being on the second line to start and became the 13th forward by the end. It was clear the pace of play was too advanced for him at that stage. He should be more than fine if he doesn't stick in the NHL next season.

As for the poll, Stutzle, but not by a lot. Both are excellent players and worthy top 3 picks.

He had a comparable WJC tournament as Lafreniere did his previous year (around the same age for both).

Byfield this year should dominate the tourny (if there is one) and if he doesn't, then there's maybe some concern.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

He had a comparable WJC tournament as Lafreniere did his previous year (around the same age for both).

Byfield this year should dominate the tourny (if there is one) and if he doesn't, then there's maybe some concern.

They were somewhat comparable, but Lafreniere was put in a worse starting situation, and I got the feeling Byfield lost confidence more quickly than Laffy. It's one thing to be behind the play, but Byfield couldn't even make a 5 foot pass by the semis. That's not his lack of skill or hockey ability affecting him.

Respectfully, I don't think Byfield has to dominate the tourney to justify the selection. I remember Mark Schiefele looking like manure despite playing with the domiant RNH in 2013, and he still became a #1 centre at the NHL level. So long as he doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, I wouldn't be concerned, exceptional performances are ideal but short tourneys can end up having disappointing results.

 

[bsu]

Stutz, I am not a big fan of byfield

 

[KnuckChuckinTkachuk]

They were somewhat comparable, but Lafreniere was put in a worse starting situation, and I got the feeling Byfield lost confidence more quickly than Laffy. It's one thing to be behind the play, but Byfield couldn't even make a 5 foot pass by the semis. That's not his lack of skill or hockey ability affecting him.

Respectfully, I don't think Byfield has to dominate the tourney to justify the selection. I remember Mark Schiefele looking like manure despite playing with the domiant RNH in 2013, and he still became a #1 centre at the NHL level. So long as he doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, I wouldn't be concerned, exceptional performances are ideal but short tourneys can end up having disappointing results.

Agreed on all fronts. I'm just tired of some people overblowing Byfield's WJC performance without context and using it as a indicator of why they think he's not as good as he really is.

Byfield should be the #1 C though this year and we'll see how he performs when he's more of a focal point.

 

[VanJack]

The Kings have a plethora of young, slightly undersized and skilled forwards. They need more big-bodied forwards. So it's Byfield for sure.

 

[Nabrules]

Closer for me now than it was in January, especially if Stutzle is a Centre, but I’m still going with Byfield.

I wouldn’t be surprised if either turns out to be the best player from the draft.

 

[Kariya 9]

Stutzle. More skill, in my opinion.

 

[Claypool]

Timmy seems like the kind of player that drives the play and stirs the drink.

 

[Corso]

Byfield has more potential, in that you can see the ability is there to become an elite franchise center. Stutzle, however, is one who will more than likely reach his potential; a top line winger or center that will average a point a game. If I'm the Kings, I easily take Byfield because you can afford to take the gamble and the payoff could be huge but if I'm the Sens (with a weaker talent prospect pool) I easily take Stutzle because he is a guaranteed return on investment.

 

[ijuka]

Byfield has more potential, in that you can see the ability is there to become an elite franchise center. Stutzle, however, is one who will more than likely reach his potential; a top line winger or center that will average a point a game. If I'm the Kings, I easily take Byfield because you can afford to take the gamble and the payoff could be huge but if I'm the Sens (with a weaker talent prospect pool) I easily take Stutzle because he is a guaranteed return on investment.

You think Sens have a weaker talent prospect pool than Kings?

 

[ijuka]

If it's between Stützle and Byfield, I actually prefer Stützle quite a bit. In fact, I'm pretty close to having Stützle first overall over Lafreniere. IMO he just has so much more pace to his game than the other two.

 

[Corso]

You think Sens have a weaker talent prospect pool than Kings?

Yup

 

[NyQuil]

I am no expert by any means, but my impression to date is that Stutzle has the higher floor and can make an immediate impact but Byfield has the higher ceiling (and higher risk) and is more of a project.

I don't envy the Los Angeles Kings.

Hopefully Dorion doesn't do something stupid and goes off the board at #3.

 

[danyhabsfan]

You think Sens have a weaker talent prospect pool than Kings?

Turcotte, Bjornfot, Kaliyev, Fagemo, Kupari, Thomas, Vilardi, Anderson-Dolan

 

[ViktorBaeArvidsson]

Really like both of them, I just really like big center-man, so I’ll give the slight edge to Byfield really hoping he can turn into a great player.

 

[Ronald Ocean]

I'll never understand the wjc arguement. It's irrelevant. If it was then cody hodgson and puljujarvi among others would be stars.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I went with Stuetzle, but I can see arguments either way. I think I had them at 3 and 5 on my final draft list, so it's not a big difference.

I think with Stuetzle, you have a lot of people mistyping the kid. He's a lot better of a two way player than people think, and is a near certainty to stick at center. He's not the offensive dynamo that a lot think. He played on the top PP for the best team in his league, and got a lot of points that way. He's good offensively, but he's no MacKinnon, Barzal, McDavid. These comparisons are not on point. Think more Hischier. Good offensive player, but I don't see that elite offensive gear most claim he has.

With Byfield, I think the kid is surely talented. Elite size and skating, and the offensive ability is pretty good. It's probably not elite. I don't think its at the level to be a Lindros/Malkin level of sure-fire HOF'er, but there's a ceiling that exists where its good enough that he has a career like Eric Staal. Worst case scenario, the offense doesn't develop that great, and he's like a 50 point per season player. There are so few players in the league with his combination of size and skating. Having even a modicum of offensive skill will result in a top 6 player. I'm not that convinced by his hockey IQ either, but I don't think it's terrible. It's not that good for most players his size, so being average in that area isn't that much of a problem.

The other problem I see, and this might be how I'm separating the two is that I have never seen Byfield play well. I have seen him play many times, more than enough that I should've seen him play well by now. I can't remember a top prospect that prior to being drafted I saw play a lot and never caught one of their good games. When you don't see these dominating performances people talk about, it's harder to be as big of a fan of him as some others are.

 

[UK Canuck]

I got Stutzle by a hair, they're both insanely talented, Stutzle is more NHL ready too, The one thing I do hope with Byfield is that whoever drafts him doesnt rush him into the NHL in year 1 just for the sake of it, IMO he needs another year in the minors

 

[InfinityIggy]

Oversimplifying but it sounds like this is a classic one player has the higher ceiling (Stutzle) and one has the higher floor (Byfield).

I'd be curious to know if anyone sees it the other way, but that is my layman's opinion from what I understand of both guys.