Who does LA pick #2

[The Lukeman]

Listen to this (around the 13 minute mark)

In The Box - June 29, 2020 - Hour 2

Ottawa radio host brought up a lot of good points, but I do want to point this out. Marco Strum will have significant influence on who is selected. He is a coach, and Blake said he will listen to his whatever his scouting staff (Mark Yannetti) will decide. Just like how we shouldn't draft Byfield because of his color, we should not draft Stutzle based on his nationality. We should draft the BPA. That's were the actual debate is to be had, and why I don't think he has a valid point.

 

[cyclones22]

Ottawa radio host brought up a lot of good points, but I do want to point this out. Marco Strum will have significant influence on who is selected. He is a coach, and Blake said he will listen to his whatever his scouting staff (Mark Yannetti) will decide. Just like how we shouldn't draft Byfield because of his color, we should not draft Stutzle based on his nationality. We should draft the BPA. That's were the actual debate is to be had, and why I don't think he has a valid point.

Marco Sturm will have influence in that he will have a voice that will be listened to by Blake and company. But coaches coach and scouts scout. Coaches don't often make the best talent evaluators, so grain of salt on that connect the dots speculation. There's an entire well trusted and paid staff who will be tossing their 2 cents in.

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

Draisaitl is a German name. There were 3 mm Germans living in Czechoslovakia who were displaced (ethnically cleansed) following the war. More than likely, his Dad comes from one of those families.

[Mod edit] I'm not really following. Perhaps you are saying that some Germans left for the Czech Republic or occupied the Czech Republic?

 

[bmr]

DEL is good competition? Its a has-beens and never-will-bees League

Okay, maybe not good competition but definitely more of a man's league than the OHL. Listen - I like Byfield. Not trying to nitpick. Just really trying to look at the benefits of either player.

 

[bland]

I think some need to pump the breaks a bit on Byfield's projections. Throwing around star names as comparables like Kopitar and Malkin is raising hopes higher than they should he - Byfield does not project to be a generational player, just a very, very good one. He is clearly behind Lafreniere for a reason, and he isn't considered to be a superstar either. Byfield has incredible tools that have not coalesced yet, this pick would be banking on massive, unrealized physical potential. Its a risk the Kings can absolutely afford to take, and probably the right choice.

But, this choice is most definitely not clear cut.

 

[King'sPawn]

Kings not interviewing Byfield before the lottery isn't a big deal.

The combine, when most of the interviews happen, was in mid-May last year. 1 month after the lottery and 1 month before the draft.

It's been 3 days after the lottery with no draft date finalized. They have plenty of time to continue their due diligence.

 

[johnjm22]

I like this stat on Byfield from the analysis video.

Primary Points Per Game, at Even Strength:

When you consider he's basically a year younger than Lafreniere it looks pretty damn good. Also on probably a lesser talented team than Rossi.

 

[TwzKing]

I like this stat on Byfield from the analysis video.

Primary Points Per Game, at Even Strength:

When you consider he's basically a year younger than Lafreniere it looks pretty damn good. Also on probably a lesser talented team than Rossi.

Exactly, I think I read that he was born a couples months later he would be the clear projected 1st pick in 2021

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

Listen to this (around the 13 minute mark)

In The Box - June 29, 2020 - Hour 2

I don't really care what this guy said! What do you expect Marco Sturm to say he hated Strudal. I don't care that Anschutz is German or that he owns a team in the DEL. What matters is who is better now and who is likely to become a top flight NHL player. Maybe Stuetzle becomes another Sturm and Byfield becomes another Joe Thornton...So the question becomes do you trade a young J Thornton for M Sturm,again! Not me and not anyone with a half a brain!

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Kings not interviewing Byfield before the lottery isn't a big deal.

The combine, when most of the interviews happen, was in mid-May last year. 1 month after the lottery and 1 month before the draft.

It's been 3 days after the lottery with no draft date finalized. They have plenty of time to continue their due diligence.

I don't think it's a big deal at all--it's just noted that the 'why' was that they didn't think Byfield would be available when they drafted, hence they have him at the top of their draft board. Simple observation that suggests they're high on his position even without interview.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I don't really care what this guy said! What do you expect Marco Sturm to say he hated Strudal. I don't care that Anschutz is German or that he owns a team in the DEL. What matters is who is better now and who is likely to become a top flight NHL player. Maybe Stuetzle becomes another Sturm and Byfield becomes another Joe Thornton...So the question becomes do you trade a young J Thornton for M Sturm,again! Not me and not anyone with a half a brain!

And what if Stutzle becomes the next Draisaitl and Byfield becomes the next Nolan Patrick? You can play the what if game until your face turns blue.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I don't think it's a big deal at all--it's just noted that the 'why' was that they didn't think Byfield would be available when they drafted, hence they have him at the top of their draft board. Simple observation that suggests they're high on his position even without interview.

Very likely they had him ranked in the top two and didn’t think he’d drop to them at the 4-5 range pre-COVID chaos. Of course the results of the lottery changes everything and the Kings find themselves in a similar spot as they did in 2008 where they had to pick from two players between Doughty and Bogosian, though publicly I think they were acknowledging that there was a group of four that they were looking at (Pietrangelo and Schenn being the other two).

 

[kingsboy11]

I wonder if the scouting staff goes into the offseason without thinking about the lottery and just review everything as if everyone stayed where they were, so the Kings look at guys available at 4 on. They'll interview Byfield and do their due diligence.

 

[ru4reals]

Just to throw something out there...Draisaitl may have been German born but Papa was Czech and played 19 seasons( In Germany) plus coached and has continue to coach upto this day! And Leon played the last years(3) of Juniors in Canada with Prince Albert Raiders and Kelowna Rockets. So I'm wondering out loud what part of Draisaitl is actually German. He's a talent for sure and I know he got his early start in Germany and putting up some phenomenal numbers but is he German? You could say he's the product of the German system to a large extent but came to Canada to find the best level of competition for his age group and he rose to the challenge?And what of his NHL goalscoring exploits? Going from 19,29,25 then 50 and finishing the shorty with 43! I'm always suspicious with production like that...just like when people were suspicious of the East Germans when they won so many medals at the Olympics(event after event) in the pre-take down the wall(Communism)!

Wow very interesting indeed great info on his background. But go figure it would be Edmonton to get McJesus and Draisaitl. What a great 1-2 combo for years and years to come. And eff Edmonton for lucking out on both hope they never win a title. Yes I'm just jealous.

 

[johnjm22]

This whole thing about Sturm preferring Stutzle is pretty silly.

What's the logic? Sturm is German. Stutzle is German. Therefore Sturm wants to draft Stutzle. Huh? Has it occurred to anyone that Sturm might like Byfield more? We don't know. Does anyone really think Sturm is that childish that he would base his preference for a draft pick on sharing the same nationality as him?

And now Anschutz is being thrown into the narrative also. Well Anschutz is German too, so that means he'd want Stutzle also!

Now we all know the real reason the Kings acquired Tobias Rider. He's a German!

I'm German/Italian and I couldn't care less that Vilardi is Italian and that Stutzle is German. I doubt Sturm or Anschutz do either.

 

[KINGS17]

[Mod edit] I'm not really following. Perhaps you are saying that some Germans left for the Czech Republic or occupied the Czech Republic?

No, he is saying there were people of German descent in Czechoslovakia prior to the outbreak of WWII. Germany invaded Czechoslovakia (specifically Bohemia and Moravia) on March 15, 1939. This was done under the guise of Hitler's policy that all areas of surrounding countries which were ethnically German must be returned to Germany.

Following Germany's defeat in WWII. the Czech people basically told anyone of German descent to get out of Czechoslovakia and return to Germany. In a way this was "ethnic cleansing" of Czechoslovakia, just not the violent type of cleansing we normally associate with the term.

 

[KINGS17]

I think some need to pump the breaks a bit on Byfield's projections. Throwing around star names as comparables like Kopitar and Malkin is raising hopes higher than they should he - Byfield does not project to be a generational player, just a very, very good one. He is clearly behind Lafreniere for a reason, and he isn't considered to be a superstar either. Byfield has incredible tools that have not coalesced yet, this pick would be banking on massive, unrealized physical potential. Its a risk the Kings can absolutely afford to take, and probably the right choice.

But, this choice is most definitely not clear cut.

Byfield will likely not be a defensive stalwart in his own zone like Kopitar. However, I can see Byfield having a better game than Kopitar in the offensive zone. He is a better skater than Kopitar at that age (not by a ton). The kid uses his edges well to change direction in tight spaces and for forechecking. His hands are a notch above Kopitar's as well, and he doesn't defer when it's time for the best player to shoot the puck.

 

[KINGS17]

This whole thing about Sturm preferring Stutzle is pretty silly.

What's the logic? Sturm is German. Stutzle is German. Therefore Sturm wants to draft Stutzle. Huh? Has it occurred to anyone that Sturm might like Byfield more? We don't know. Does anyone really think Sturm is that childish that he would base his preference for a draft pick on sharing the same nationality as him?

And now Anschutz is being thrown into the narrative also. Well Anschutz is German too, so that means he'd want Stutzle also!

Now we all know the real reason the Kings acquired Tobias Rider. He's a German!

I'm German/Italian and I couldn't care less that Vilardi is Italian and that Stutzle is German. I doubt Sturm or Anschutz do either.

I think we all know you want to see a

Stutzle - Vilardi - Wagner line someday.

 

[johnjm22]

I don't think there's anything wrong with comparing Byfield to Kopitar/Malkin. They're all of a similar ilk.

Malkin was extremely highly regarded as a prospect. Byfield isn't THAT well regarded, but I think him and Kopitar are on similar levels headed into the draft. If anything Byfield is seen as an even better prospect than Kopitar was.

 

[johnjm22]

I think we all know you want to see a

Stutzle - Vilardi - Wagner line someday.

What I want to see is Wagner in a Reign jersey next year.

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

Byfield will likely not be the defensive stalwart in his own zone like Kopitar. However, I can see Byfield having a better game than Kopitar in the offensive zone. He is a better skater than Kopitar at that age (not by a ton). The kid uses his edges well to change direction in tight spaces and for forechecking. His hands are a notch above Kopitar's as well, and he doesn't defer when it's time for the best player to shoot the puck.

You are saying a lot...I wouldn't go so far as saying that Byfield will be better than KopiStar. Anze is the best LA draft choice in the history of the Kings at the forward position,respect due D Taylor and that guy Luc. Byfield will be great mark my words and he will centre the 1st line by his 3rd-4th year,no disrespect KopiStar!

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

What I want to see is Wagner in a Reign jersey next year.

OMG No! Two wingers likely to be like Lewis and shoot the puck into the ocean rather than into the goal! PS Didn't Lombardi love Lewis and didn't the Kings draft him because of his Speed? What a waste of a 1st rounder(17th overall)!

 

[Samsquanch]

This whole thing about Sturm preferring Stutzle is pretty silly.

What's the logic? Sturm is German. Stutzle is German. Therefore Sturm wants to draft Stutzle. Huh? Has it occurred to anyone that Sturm might like Byfield more? We don't know. Does anyone really think Sturm is that childish that he would base his preference for a draft pick on sharing the same nationality as him?

And now Anschutz is being thrown into the narrative also. Well Anschutz is German too, so that means he'd want Stutzle also!

Now we all know the real reason the Kings acquired Tobias Rider. He's a German!

I'm German/Italian and I couldn't care less that Vilardi is Italian and that Stutzle is German. I doubt Sturm or Anschutz do either.

Theres also the rumour that Stutzle was heavily "celebrating "at 3am when the lottery news came through that LA won.

Doubt that it was because he knew the Senators were taking him, and it would seem to suggest that he knows that LA is likely taking him if they have the chance to do it.

LA can obviously take whatever player they like best at #2, but there are more than enough signs at this point to suggest that the German connection and love for Stutzle is more than a tinfoil hat idea at this point.

 

[LAKings88]

I’m flip flopping every hour on this.

I just can’t help but like Stützle’s game.

I prefer him over Byfield, I like the Bure I see on him.

 

[King'sPawn]

John Hoven in his latest call addressing this.

NHL RADIO REPLAY: Mayor’s Minutes – All the Latest LA Kings News

At least right now he feels it is Byfield. Initial question discussing this is around 4:38.