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.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Main board experts that cant stay awake past 10pm est

Care to elaborate as to why he’s producing about as well as the LA legend PLD produced last season?

Or just going to continue contributing nothing?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Care to elaborate as to why he’s producing about as well as the LA legend PLD produced last season?

Or just going to continue contributing nothing?

You were given reasonable good explanations earlier in the thread including stats and from people other than me that will be nicer to you

But you don’t want that, you just want to circlejerk negativity as you have since his very first draft thread, that’s why you’re getting friction in response.

You can’t pretend you’re just genuinely curious when you don’t respond to the thought out posts with reasons and just like the ones going “lol carried by Kopitar”

 

[Lt Dan]

Care to elaborate ...

Four years and seven games ago our scout brought forth, on this sheet of ice, a new player, conceived in Canada, and dedicated to prepositions as defined in Schoolhouse Rock

 

[Golden_Jet]

Of course he (likely) hasn’t peaked. But struggling in your D+6 when the best you’ve done so far is a 50~pt season isn’t a good sign.

It never is for forwards drafted top 3

he’s not D+6
That’s some tough math

 

[nbwingsfan]

he’s not D+6
That’s some tough math

This has already been pointed out.

It’s his D+5… which really isn’t some kind of great argument when you’re a 30pt player as a 2nd overall pick…

You were given reasonable good explanations earlier in the thread including stats and from people other than me that will be nicer to you

But you don’t want that, you just want to circlejerk negativity as you have since his very first draft thread, that’s why you’re getting friction in response.

You can’t pretend you’re just genuinely curious when you don’t respond to the thought out posts with reasons and just like the ones going “lol carried by Kopitar”

So he has a sore wrist and is playing C?

Some weak arguments for a guy who’s supposed to be a 1st line C?

 

[Golden_Jet]

This has already been pointed out.,

Yes we are aware your posts have to be corrected, due to your disengengious posts, that you hope you don’t get called out on, or noticed.

This was just another in a long list of examples.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

This has already been pointed out.

It’s his D+5… which really isn’t some kind of great argument when you’re a 30pt player as a 2nd overall pick…


So he has a sore wrist and is playing C?

Some weak arguments for a guy who’s supposed to be a 1st line C?

Case in point with zero effort

 

[rockymtnoyster]

Guy has in increase in ice time but he is getting all the extra minutes on the pk.
And worse linemates will do that

 

[Osprey]

He was hitting the wall hard last year until Byfield got next to him.

I'm not sure what you mean because he and Byfield were paired on opening night and played together until mid January. In their last 9 games together for a while, here's how they looked:

That 0.59 GF/60 was a massive drop-off from their previous 3.04 GF/60 and their season averages. It was Kopitar's worst stretch of the season and it came with Byfield, not without him. If Byfield was carrying that line, that would suggest that it was he who hit the wall hard. At worst, they both hit it together.

 

[Osprey]

Guy has in increase in ice time but he is getting all the extra minutes on the pk.

Actually, he's also getting a minute more OT time per game. So, he's gained opportunity, as well. He just hasn't taken advantage of it.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I'm not sure what you mean because he and Byfield were paired on opening night and played together until mid January. In their last 9 games together for a while, here's how they looked:

View attachment 938945

That 0.59 GF/60 was a massive drop-off from their previous 3.04 GF/60 and their season averages. It was Kopitar's worst stretch of the season and it came with Byfield, not without him. If Byfield was carrying that line, that would suggest that it was he who hit the wall hard. At worst, they both hit it together.

This is what I mean by Kopitar was hitting a wall without him.

Using your arbitrary dates, here's the before Jan 1st:

And after:

I think it's a stretch to suggest Byfield was the catalyst in Kopitar gassing out.

I mean that's a whole different conversation altogether...but Byfield was the driver.

Look I know your whole thesis is Byfield is simply a complementary winger. I doubt I'm going to change anyone's mind who already has it made up that that's all he is, or he's a bust, or this is the best he will be. The best I can do is show you the premises are bunk and this is why I'm reaching a different conclusion.