Prospect Info: LAK Draft (2nd, 2020) C Quinton Byfield - Sudbury Wolves, OHL

[driller1]

Just out of curiosity what people think on that pass.... Should Byfield have tried to bank it off the boards as opposed to flipping it? Seems like a safer play with an equal chance of success, but easy for me to ask while sitting on my butt...

 

[kilowatt]

Just out of curiosity what people think on that pass.... Should Byfield have tried to bank it off the boards as opposed to flipping it? Seems like a safer play with an equal chance of success, but easy for me to ask while sitting on my butt...

I don't think we should try to stifle his creativity ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ He flubbed a pass in his fifth pro game. Shit happens. He's been playing great, let the kids do what they do best.

 

[Peter James Bond III]

Yeah, he turned 18 in August and yes, that is a legit excuse. I do not know any 18 yr old ever playing in the AHL...guys like Rantanen, Kupari, were 19. I guess Bjornfot was 18 part of last year. Of course, Kaliyev is, but this is under new guidelines.

We saw Kempe at 19 take a year to get going in the AHL, Toffoli, Pearson were 20 and they took a year to get going. Very few under 20 year olds have succeeded at this level, at all.
I'd like to see where he is by the end of the season, to make real judgments. Even then, these guys do not start hitting their prime until 22-23. I've lived in Denver for yrs now and went to the Pepsi Ctr when MacKinnon was a rookie and was impressed....but today, he's just a cut below McDavid. It took him until 22 or 23 to get to that level. This is not the same Mackinnon I saw in 2014. He's much stronger and has honed his skills...and over stick handles, because he can and does not slow him down or impede him from doing what he wants.

I was in row 6 there in the corner, 2 years ago and my jaw was on the floor, as MacKinnon, Rantanen and Landeskog were not only owning the O-zone, but looked like they were on another planet. I'll never forget that as long as I live, seeing that up close. I saw the triple crown line too and Gretz, Kurri, Nichols, Granato, Sandstrom do their thing, but this was something different. They are all very powerful, big, fast and elite skill, doing whatever they wanted to, it seemed.

Byfield will get there, but what you're seeing is just flashes and potential...it's all there, though. I would be more worried if he wasn't fast, had great hands and what looks like excellent vision. The ones who go bust, usually do not have all that, or work all Summer with Gary Roberts.

 

[Ghetty Green]

^Voynov ?

 

[Eagle Fang]

Just out of curiosity what people think on that pass.... Should Byfield have tried to bank it off the boards as opposed to flipping it? Seems like a safer play with an equal chance of success, but easy for me to ask while sitting on my butt...

As Kilowatt mentioned, shit happens. A player of his caliber is right to try those things. We've seen Kopitar do that flip pass a few times perfectly. We've also seen Kopitar whiff on passes and shank shots. Just one of those things, but the idea was sound.

Now if had tried a pass up the middle that got picked off... maybe a different story.

 

[driller1]

I don't think we should try to stifle his creativity ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ He flubbed a pass in his fifth pro game. Shit happens. He's been playing great, let the kids do what they do best.

I guess I don't understand why flipping a pass is "creative" while making an indirect pass via the boards is uncreative. Both result in a Madden breakaway, but the downside seems lower with one option. I'm not terribly invested in Reign results, as I care more about player development so it's no big deal that it didn't work out. If a prospect was going to screw up, that's the time to do it.

Just curious why people believe flipping the puck is the correct or "creative" play (for Byfield or any other player) in that instance.

 

[Mats26]

Yeah, he turned 18 in August and yes, that is a legit excuse. I do not know any 18 yr old ever playing in the AHL...guys like Rantanen, Kupari, were 19. I guess Bjornfot was 18 part of last year. Of course, Kaliyev is, but this is under new guidelines.

We saw Kempe at 19 take a year to get going in the AHL, Toffoli, Pearson were 20 and they took a year to get going. Very few under 20 year olds have succeeded at this level, at all.
I'd like to see where he is by the end of the season, to make real judgments. Even then, these guys do not start hitting their prime until 22-23. I've lived in Denver for yrs now and went to the Pepsi Ctr when MacKinnon was a rookie and was impressed....but today, he's just a cut below McDavid. It took him until 22 or 23 to get to that level. This is not the same Mackinnon I saw in 2014. He's much stronger and has honed his skills...and over stick handles, because he can and does not slow him down or impede him from doing what he wants.

I was in row 6 there in the corner, 2 years ago and my jaw was on the floor, as MacKinnon, Rantanen and Landeskog were not only owning the O-zone, but looked like they were on another planet. I'll never forget that as long as I live, seeing that up close. I saw the triple crown line too and Gretz, Kurri, Nichols, Granato, Sandstrom do their thing, but this was something different. They are all very powerful, big, fast and elite skill, doing whatever they wanted to, it seemed.

Byfield will get there, but what you're seeing is just flashes and potential...it's all there, though. I would be more worried if he wasn't fast, had great hands and what looks like excellent vision. The ones who go bust, usually do not have all that, or work all Summer with Gary Roberts.

Not the case this year.
Our buddies up the highway have a nice 18 year old in the AHL. Dysdale. There is another kid at 19 who is on fire too, Zegras. Seth Jarvis is having no problem scoring at 19. Krebs? I mean it's way early and the AHL's "talent pool" is effected by the taxi squads but young talented players are finding success in the AHL this year.

I guess my point is that if your picking 2 fowards in the top 5 they need to find a way to produce even at this level. I am patient but we need to see continued progress and production going forward this year from both QB and Turcotte. Fixing the D and get Ingham in net will hopefully make things alot easier for the forwards and the wins.

 

[cyclones22]

The kids are generating chances, the team collectively just isn't burying them. It would be one thing if they were being dominated and failed to create scoring opportunities, but that's not the case at all. They've run into hot goalies and have suffered from hit-the-crest-itis in these games. They do not look out of their element at all, which is encouraging.

 

[saintsnsoldiers]

The fact that Byfield is even attempting plays like that tells us everything. He is capable of those high end plays and he knows it. That is exciting, keep it up kid!

 

[funky]

Imagine Byfield and Co being supported by the likes of Clague, Bjornfot and Strand instead of Phillips, Alt and whoever is getting tossed out there this year.

hope LA sends Strand and Bjornfot back down to play huge minutes together. Could be a great NHL pairing next year letting us move a guy like Walker.

 

[Peter James Bond II]

Not the case this year.
Our buddies up the highway have a nice 18 year old in the AHL. Dysdale. There is another kid at 19 who is on fire too, Zegras. Seth Jarvis is having no problem scoring at 19. Krebs? I mean it's way early and the AHL's "talent pool" is effected by the taxi squads but young talented players are finding success in the AHL this year.

I guess my point is that if your picking 2 fowards in the top 5 they need to find a way to produce even at this level. I am patient but we need to see continued progress and production going forward this year from both QB and Turcotte. Fixing the D and get Ingham in net will hopefully make things alot easier for the forwards and the wins.

That is all true. I just don't have AHL Tv and have seen clips or knew that Jarvis and Krebs were doing well at 19. It's a new thing to have junior eligible players at 19, playing in the AHL.
I think Turcotte was just as good, overall, as Zegras in the WJC...there were times Zegras was weak or once even shied away completely on the boards, whereas Turcotte would have
owned those plays. They both made each other better, too. Zegras may always outscore Turcotte....but Zegras may never be the better overall player. I'm more worried
about Turcotte's durability, than abything - not how good he will be at 22.

Patrick O'Sullivan scored over 50 in the AHL. He had the ability, but not the work ethic and the issues he had with his father and how that could have affected his emotional health.
It's a shame. Dominating the AHL does not always equate to a great NHL career.

I think as far as Byfield is concerned, he has grown 2 inches in 2 years and now added 10 lbs and still not very strong - Yannetti even said so,
that Quinton is really not that strong. So, with the growth and getting used to playing against men and not nearly as strong as he will be in even 2 years at 20, he's far from where
he will be in 2 to 3 years.

 

[King'sPawn]

Just out of curiosity what people think on that pass.... Should Byfield have tried to bank it off the boards as opposed to flipping it? Seems like a safer play with an equal chance of success, but easy for me to ask while sitting on my butt...

No problem from me. Byfield had 5 options:

- banking off the right wing where, if memory serves, the forechecker was closer and a greater threat to intercept

- banking it off the left wing. With him being left-handed, he either would have to backhand it or fire it at an angle/velocity where an icing was at risk

- deferring to Alt

- trying to skate through and risking a 2-on-1

- going over

He misplayed it after a calculated risk

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Imagine being a fan of a team that needs offense and finally landing high-end prospects but being upset they're trying to make high-skill plays while learning in an absolute nothing season

No one is mad, just pointing out if there's EVER a time to make mistakes, it would be a season without a championship possibility. Process >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Results this AHL year.

 

[cyclones22]

The funny thing was that the Reign absolutely nullified Zegras in their one matchup. He was taken out of the game physically pretty much. You could see some flashes of the skill, but was not a factor in the game. The Reign dominated that game, but couldn't finish and of course that Villalta mistake at the end.

 

[ru4reals]

The funny thing was that the Reign absolutely nullified Zegras in their one matchup. He was taken out of the game physically pretty much. You could see some flashes of the skill, but was not a factor in the game. The Reign dominated that game, but couldn't finish and of course that Villalta mistake at the end.

Funny I re-watched that game (cuz I have no life but hockey) lol, and this is exactly what I was thinking. He was a non factor for the most part and if not for Dostal, it would have been a blowout.

 

[Mats26]

That is all true. I just don't have AHL Tv and have seen clips or knew that Jarvis and Krebs were doing well at 19. It's a new thing to have junior eligible players at 19, playing in the AHL.
I think Turcotte was just as good, overall, as Zegras in the WJC...there were times Zegras was weak or once even shied away completely on the boards, whereas Turcotte would have
owned those plays. They both made each other better, too. Zegras may always outscore Turcotte....but Zegras may never be the better overall player. I'm more worried
about Turcotte's durability, than abything - not how good he will be at 22.

Patrick O'Sullivan scored over 50 in the AHL. He had the ability, but not the work ethic and the issues he had with his father and how that could have affected his emotional health.
It's a shame. Dominating the AHL does not always equate to a great NHL career.

I think as far as Byfield is concerned, he has grown 2 inches in 2 years and now added 10 lbs and still not very strong - Yannetti even said so,
that Quinton is really not that strong. So, with the growth and getting used to playing against men and not nearly as strong as he will be in even 2 years at 20, he's far from where
he will be in 2 to 3 years.

Agree with Turcotte, the injuries\durability is more of a concern for now. I just hope he gets through them without affecting his development. I feel he needs at least a full year in the AHL but more future injuries will impact that time line. Turc reminds me of Stutzle, both players don't mind the body contact but Stutzle dosn't always seek it. I just hope Wrobo can tweak Turc's game so he doesn't have to always sacrifice his body all over the ice but use some of his other talents (skating, vision)to be effective.

For QB, I said this in another post ...it's all about maturity and growing into his body. He will be a terror in 3 years.

O'Sullivan helped us get Williams

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

delete

 

[cyclones22]

Another game tomorrow. Can't wait to see if QB continues his aggressiveness with the puck.

 

[ru4reals]

Another game tomorrow. Can't wait to see if QB continues his aggressiveness with the puck.

Seriously loving this Kings, Reign, Kings, Reign games back and forth. Wifey is getting sick of my addiction. Oh wells.

 

[RaymondReddington]

Seriously loving this Kings, Reign, Kings, Reign games back and forth. Wifey is getting sick of my addiction. Oh wells.

Flowers and chocolate...
(Pepe LePeu knew his shit)

 

[Lt Dan]

Flowers and chocolate...
(Pepe LePeu knew his shit)

and if that doesn't work, chloroform!

 

[driller1]

Imagine being a fan of a team that needs offense and finally landing high-end prospects but being upset they're trying to make high-skill plays while learning in an absolute nothing season

No one is mad, just pointing out if there's EVER a time to make mistakes, it would be a season without a championship possibility. Process >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Results this AHL year.

I for one would like to know who is upset at players trying to make a high skill play? I asked a simple question on a specific situation- one that could have applied to anyone.

Thanks Kings Pawn for your thoughtful answer. After hearing your reasoning, I think I’m convinced of your conclusion.

To all the other posters who extrapolated a simple situational question to “OMG, Driller1 is upset and trying to stifle creativity” can all go and pound sand.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I for one would like to know who is upset at players trying to make a high skill play? I asked a simple question on a specific situation- one that could have applied to anyone.

Thanks Kings Pawn for your thoughtful answer. After hearing your reasoning, I think I’m convinced of your conclusion.

To all the other posters who extrapolated a simple situational question to “OMG, Driller1 is upset and trying to stifle creativity” can all go and pound sand.

Maybe you should read the beginning of the second line of the quoted post. It was literally a hypothetical.

 

[Steve Zissou]

Would like to see Byfield get on the score sheet with those 2 hoodlums.

 

[ru4reals]

Would like to see Byfield get on the score sheet with those 2 hoodlums.

Damn hope Turcotte is alright. Kid is made of fine china it seems.