Upcoming on QB's D+3 year, Do you wish we took Stützle?

[Peter James Bond II]

Would still take Byfield. The day of the draft, I was 55/45 Byfield/Stutzle and still am.
I think QB has the tools and toolkit, but just not physically there, yet. I have a 23 year old
son, that has only really worked out the last year. He's gone from 170 to195 in 13 months and has 15 inch pipes. He goes to the gym daily. He was certainly about 160 at 19 and would be called scrawny.
At 22 he was still slight.

QB has worked hard and trained with Gary Roberts. He came to camp ready and looked great in preseason.
He did the physical work. Despite that, he's still growing into his body. He will probably keep filling out
until he's 21...regardless how hard he works, or doesn't work. To reach his potential, he must get up to
225 for his 6'4.75 to 6'5" height. He looks skinny still, He may never have a power game, but he's got to
fill out and get stronger. He will be reaching his potential, as he: 1: fills out and gets stronger. 2. plays with better talent and 3. has about 100 games played. I don't want to judge him, until all 3 happen. The kid line with Kupari and Vilardi showed some jam, but they are all raw. I would love to see what he would do with 2 of: Arviddson, Fiala, Moore, Kempe. For just 2 weeks. But probably going to be Arty and Iafallo. Or Kupari?

The fact that he came to last years camp ready, looked good in pre-season and the game he broke his ankle, he was lookinng fantastic that game.,...so? An ankle break is a big deal and it took time to get back and he should
have probably stayed in the AHL a little longer.

So, I fully expect him to have a great Summer, add 10 pounds of muscle and look fabulous and ready at camp.
He will be 20 and prepared. I have no doubt.

One of my favorite quotes of ALL LAST YEAR: Phil Danault "Quinton is going to be an important player for us very soon" (can't find the exact quote....but he and Kopi are working with him...he's in good hands. And also Gary Roiberts as well)

#4 would be - get him 15 minutes of TOI and PP time! He looked great on a few PPs and had more movement around the zone on 1 PP, than Kopi had ALL YEAR.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

we should give him and Ottawa credit for a nice evaluation and development.

How so? Weren’t the top 3 picks pretty much set, it was all just about what order they would go? Laf and Byfield were gone, of course they pick Stutzle.

 

[Johnny Utah]

If Byfield was in great shape why did he get destroyed by Zack Kassian, who is not really the most in shape tough guy.

 

[Cook24]

Just out of curiosity, anyone have the WAR stats for byfield?

 

[BigKing]

If Byfield was in great shape why did he get destroyed by Zack Kassian, who is not really the most in shape tough guy.

Kassian is huge. If he gets you in the trolley tracks, you're going to lose.

Why did Eric Lindros get concussed by smaller guys?!?! He's bigger than Stevens and Kasparitis.

As for the question, I've hated QB's game but I still take him. The other guy isn't blowing the doors off yet and we always knew he would look better earlier.

I've said it a hundred times on here: this summer is gigantic for Byfield. Put the work in, show up and act like you're a f***ing stud. It's such a confidence thing with him.

 

[Sol]

Upcoming season is going to be very telling whether or not Byfield booms or busts. Hoping the blind hopefuls are right with this one. As much as I dont see it in him to boom, hes a king at the end of the day obviously.

 

[Telos]

Can't really say yet. Stutzle was the earliest to start to blossom, but Byfield was the youngest, most raw, and known to be the furthest away. Honestly, I still else more obvious skill and potential in Byfield, it is just whether or not he can put it together and l realize that potential. Still too early to tell, but this year will be critical despite him still being only 19 years old.

 

[kilowatt]

The first video is pretty much the only impressive goal he’s scored where he looks good and the assist to Kaliyev was the second. In 50 something games. I’m sure Lizzo has a better reel. Way to stick it.

Lizotte scored some highlight reel goals on the forecheck by himself. He certainly has a better reel than Byfield thus far.

 

[kilowatt]

Byfield is only 3 months older than Owen Power , if Byfield is a "bust " then isn't Power also a " bust "

Power came up and scored two goals and an assist in eight games to finish out the season (and looked great).

Byfield had five goals in 40 games (and looked like shit most of the time).

I don’t think this is a comparison we want to dive into

 

[Schmooley]

Power came up and scored two goals and an assist in eight games to finish out the season (and looked great).

Byfield had five goals in 40 games (and looked like shit most of the time).

I don’t think this is a comparison we want to dive into

This owen power? A kings rookie gets 2 minutes of ice time the rest of the game for a mistake like that and for a guy like vilardi you bet hes healthy scratched after.

 

[lumbergh]

Shoulda woulda coulda. why even waste your breath on some Schmuzle in Ottawa. Stop living in revisionist history land.

 

[K1900L]

Stutzle is a great player and I would've been fine with him if he we drafted him, But he spoonfed top line minutes and given free reign which is easier to do for a winger. With Byfield we're not looking at him being a skilled winger. He's going to have to our top line center one day so he's got learn the hard way. I think his deployments and linemates could've been better this year so I'll lay into the coaching staff in that aspect, but we knew going into this he wasn't a finished product.

Stützle didn't get top line minutes. He played on Ottawa's second line behind Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson/Brown.

Stützle also didn't play winger. He started the season as a winger and was moved to center when Norris and Pinto were injured. He then went on to play his best hockey as a center (~2/3 of the season), where Ottawa will most definitely keep him. He basically had stretches where he was above point per game for some weeks, playing with Brown and Formenton. He as of right now has had a far better point total and game as a center than as a winger with a very responsible two way game.
Stützle is a centerman and will likely evolve to be Ottawa's #1C, especially with DeBrincat coming in.

There are some things he has to improve on, for example his balance and faceoffs.
But as of right now he sure is infront of Byfield, but this is what was foreseeable in the draft. People knew Stützle was ready day one and Byfield would need 2-3 years.

 

[DryIslandBartender]

The Rangers would take Stutzle without hesitation. He has shown to be better than Laf and plays a position they are lacking.

I was on Team Byfield because I had some concerns on Stutzle, but Stutzle has answered those, he can play center in the NHL and he does have enough goal-scoring talent to warrant going that high. Stutzle has been fantastic and we should give him and Ottawa credit for a nice evaluation and development.

It will be an interesting season for both players, especially QB, this is a really big year for QB with a wide range of outcomes ranging from 1st line center to the AHL. My big concern is these players have Jack Hughes and Kirby Dach type D+3 seasons, which would be a tough pill for us to swallow, especially with the stagnation and position changes of the other high pick centers.

One of the concerns of mine is the Kings logjam at Center.

Kopitar/Danault are locked into the top 2 for awhile. Byfield is competing for that third center slot against Turcotte/Vilardi. Not an ideal situation for a #2 overall selection because he won’t be playing alongside Kempe or Fiala to rack up points. Maybe Todd will give him more PP time.

 

[KingsHockey24]

I wanted Stutzle over Byfield day 1.

I remember seeing him absolutely lay out people with hits and was sold at that moment.

 

[Reaper45]

I was team Stutzle and still am but I understand why Byfield was the pick and am hopeful he puts it together.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I think people forget how Byfield was the best player on the ice the night he broke his ankle and how everyone was absolutely marveling over him, like 'oh shit he's arriving early.'

The guy came back from a broken ankle and covid into dogshit coaching deployment along with the other kids and STILL debuted well against colorado before getting banished to the far edges of the roster with the worst possible linemates.

I'm betting on him, obviously. But those that 'don't see the talent', that's a you problem, not a Byfield problem.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Closed by request of OP.