What’s up with Byfield?

[SettlementRichie10]

Yeah wtf was that lol. Just come out and say it.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Kopitar carried his ass last year and made Byfield look a lot better than he really is.

 

[nbwingsfan]

The problem is, people say he is horrible or a "bust" because of where he was drafted. And then someone comes in, as bland did in this thread and say he is well rounded and "playing fine", and while I hate the word "bust" and think it's unfair, the word disappointment is not unfair. But again, people have a hard time differentiating those words, especially Kings fans, because I've been accused of calling him a bust, when I think he's just a disappointment.

Byfield will be a fine secondary piece on an NHL team, he's not a bad player, but he was the #2 overall pick in the draft, and that makes him a disappointing pick. When you are picking that high, anything less than a good 1st line player or 1st pairing defender is disappointing.

This sums it up well.

Never once called him a bad player or prospect, will probably still be a good 2nd line player.

It was the post saying he should have gone 1st overall, or that he had “unlimited potential” that were always wrong.

 

[chris kontos]

Main board experts that cant stay awake past 10pm est

 

[Herby]

Why are people getting angry at the "better athlete than hockey player" comment? This description has been used for plenty of prospects before, including players like Jack Johnson, Adam Fantilli, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Matt Boldy. Having watched the vast majority of Byfield's NHL career, I think it is actually a fair and valid description of his playing style and one of the reasons he has struggled at center compared to playing on the wing. He relies more on his physical tools than on hockey sense. Plenty of players have had long NHL careers with a similar style, while others, who aren't great athletes or physical specimens, have had long careers with a game-sense-based approach.

People should be able to have this opinion of a player without slanderous replies implying they are a racist.

Kopitar carried his ass last year and made Byfield look a lot better than he really is.

This is hyperbole, he did not "carry his ass" last year. I love Kopitar and think he's the most underrated player of the 21st century, but at 37 he is not carrying Byfield or anyone else, even in his prime Kopitar did not make his linemates into automatic 55 point players. Byfield contributed pretty solidly to that line last year, there are plenty of 2nd line players like Byfield that play on their teams 1st line.

 

[Herby]

delete, duplicate.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

This is hyperbole, he did not "carry his ass" last year. I love Kopitar and think he's the most underrated player of the 21st century, but at 37 he is not carrying Byfield or anyone else, even in his prime Kopitar did not make his linemates into automatic 55 point players. Byfield contributed pretty solidly to that line last year, there are plenty of 2nd line players like Byfield that played on their teams 1st line.

The thing about Kopitar is people see 'numbers up' and assume 'better play' but really he's not remotely the player he used to be... the reason he's scoring more now is 1. he's finally released from his 200-foot all the time responsibility and #1 PK job, he's rarely touching the puck these days, much less carrying it end to end and 2. It's simply a higher scoring era. His minutes are down and he's an elite player with elite IQ and great hands but hes absolutely not carrying play.

He was hitting the wall hard last year until Byfield got next to him. AT WORST it was a perfect symbiotic relationship.